Economy Grows at Healthy 4.1 Percent Rate

[turnhardleft]

WASHINGTON - America's economy, bolstered by brisk business spending, grew at a healthy 4.1 percent annual rate in the final quarter of 2003. That was even faster than first thought and offered new evidence that the nation's economic recovery was firmly rooted going into the new year.

Source: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=668&e=5&u=/ap/20040227/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy

Not exactly what we needed to hear.

[Skittles]

1. it is absolute bullshit

wouldn't we see some freaking EVIDENCE if the economy was improving?

[Don Claybrook]

3. I don't know about you, Skittles

But when I think "economy", I think about my job (or lack thereof). When they say "economy", I think they're referring to gains in productivity (firing 2 people and making some hapless employee do the work of 3), and they're referring to increasing shareholder value (firing US employees and sending the jobs overseas at a much lower rate).

So my guess is the economy is doing quite well after all, but I'll never see that--I'm in the wrong class.

[papau]

6. 3.1% GDP growth for total year 2003 - and the jobs are where?

:-)

[mhr]

2. Would Anyone Like To Buy Some Swampland In Florida?

Seems that the powers that be are playing all of us for suckers.

Seems that most Americans are buying it.

[nedlogg]

4. So where are the jobs?

The real jobs that is.

What's the point of an economic recovery without jobs?

[modrepub]

9. Give * some credit

It takes a gifted person to over spend his budget by ~1 trillion dollars and still manage to loose 2 million jobs.

[okieinpain]

16. you do know that when a person uses the intercom at

mcdonalds, that person is considered a network tech. how about the person that cooks the meat is called final assembly inspector. man it goes on and on. this country is doomed if bush is re-selected.

[Warren Stuart]

5. There is nothing wrong with a strong economy

To root against it is just plain wrong.

This article points out that hiring has not increased, the misery is still out there. We are just learning to do more with less.

Turn it around if the economy is doing so good, then where are the jobs?

I have a friend who scored a 95 on a civil service test, with a score like that, you figure he has got to be at the top of the list. No chance, there are 70 people ahead of him on the list. He was provisional, so he is now out of a job. This is in a IT related field.

People who made 6 figures are now scrambling for a job with benefits making a quarter of what they did before.

[onehandle]

8. Exactly.

Democrats want things to get better, not worse. This is why Bush must go. Then watch the economy take off again.

There are few DUers that want things to get worse.

The ones who lament when things get better, are obviously not Democrats.

[Crachet2004]

17. That's if you believe the numbers in the first place...

I think they can pretty well do what they want with numbers. Like if inflation has been so low for the last 20 years, then why has everything-houses, cars, food-more than tripled?

If we gotta play the game using the oppositions numbers, we are at a disadvantage. Hell, we know they are liars. Why would they give us truthful numbers?

[BiggJawn]

7. "And in other news, XYZ Corp announced another round of lay-offs..."

The Gross National PRODUCT...
Give yourselves a pat on the back, you lucky duckies who still have a job, We did 4.1% more with fewer co-workers last year....

Oh, BTW, the floggings will continue until we get this morale thing under control....

Unless you own a lot of stock in a lot of companies, the GNP doesn't mean SHIT.

The only people doing well are the ones who don't have to work. Our era's version of the Astors, Vanderbilts, Goulds, etc.

Hail the new age of the Robber Baron!

[leesa]

10. But WHAT is growing?? The credit card industry?

Stocks? Any 'growth' is due to productivity shifts caused by laid-off workers and shifting of jobs overseas where they don't have to pay workers wages or compensation. Does wonders for productivity numbers!

[HootieMcBoob]

11. Also hiring more temp and part time workers

thay they don't have to pay benefits. No health insurance, no pension, etc.

[David Dunham]

12. It's What Happens With the Economy This Year That Matters!!

It won't have as high a GDP number as 2003.

[Yavin4]

13. This Is The End Result of Three Years of Low Interest Rates

The GDP numbers for the third and fourth quarters of last year reflect the huge explosion of debt due to historically low interest rates and massive debt spending by the government. You could also show huge growth in your bank accounts if you max out your credit cards and deposit the cash.

[Mountainman]

14. You are right I think. This has only short term effects it can't

be sustained.

At some point in time the law of diminishing returns takes over and we will be worse off than before because we are not building long term structural growth.

[Norbert]

15. Economy Grows at Healthy 4.1 Percent Rate. Where?

I certainly don't see it where I work.

[Rex]

18. Then why are gas and grocery prices at an all-time high where I live?

Oh, I know, it's Clinton's fault. :eyes:

[Frodo]

19. No, not Clinton really... just

his member.

[tom_paine]

20. "Comrades, Toilet Paper Production has risen 600%!"

The Busheviks lie AS MUCH AS THE BOLSHEVIKS.

Remember that. These reports might have during the Days of the Old Republic contained half-truth or perhaps even three-quarters of the truth, if such things can be quantified.

But after three years of Busevik "Managed Democracy" in which all governmental organizations are now run by people who loathe them and want to undercut them anyway they can, that is, unless they are using them like the Soviets used the Toilet Paper Production Reports as "Official Lies".

In other words, I'd sooner believe a 1978 Soviet Agriculture Report than this Bushevik piece of garbage.