NYT, 01/26/00: Consumer Confidence Hits an All-Time High; Jobs Called 'Plentiful'...

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Consumer Confidence Hits an All-Time High; Jobs Called 'Plentiful' : Clinton Sees An Early Payoff of U.S. Debt

By Brian Knowlton
Published: January 26, 2000

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/26/news/26iht-usecon.2.t_5.html

WASHINGTON— On a day when consumer confidence was reported at a record high, President Bill Clinton seized on the prolonged U.S. economic expansion Tuesday to propose paying off the government's public-held debt by 2013, two years sooner than had been expected.

The Conference Board's consumer confidence index reached a record 144.7 in January, up from 141.7 in December, a larger-than-expected rise. A majority of consumers in the 5,000 households surveyed by the private research group said they were more optimistic both about current and future business conditions.

Fifty-four percent described jobs as "plentiful."

Mr. Clinton, in an announcement from the White House, called on Republican leaders in Congress to "put politics aside and join me" in a budget proposal that would pay off dollars 3.6 trillion in debt by 2013. This, he said, would leave the United States debt-free for the first time since 1835.

[RufusTFirefly]

1. Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over'

Someone had to post it. From the Onion, but chillingly prophetic

Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over'

WASHINGTON, DC–Mere days from assuming the presidency and closing the door on eight years of Bill Clinton, president-elect George W. Bush assured the nation in a televised address Tuesday that "our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity is finally over."

"My fellow Americans," Bush said, "at long last, we have reached the end of the dark period in American history that will come to be known as the Clinton Era, eight long years characterized by unprecedented economic expansion, a sharp decrease in crime, and sustained peace overseas. The time has come to put all of that behind us."

http://www.theonion.com/articles/bush-our-long-national-nightmare-of-peace-and-pros,464/

[theophilus]

2. One thing I remember: the "Wallstreet" types were wringing their hands

and moaning whenever the unemployment rate (very low) was mentioned. Why, corporations would have to maybe even raise wages and benefits to attract workers! Well, Bush and his bunch fixed that and fixed it GOOD!

[spanone]

3. ....then bu$h* was installed as president and the economic shit hit the fan