The economy is doing much better now than it has since a year or more before the Recession struck. Stock market is high, unemployment is down around 6% and dropping.
The economy consists of more than the stock market and the reported unemployment rate. Most Americans continue to face shrinking real household incomes, and the working share of the adult population is stagnant at well below its pre-recession level, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that our bleak collective view of the economy persists.Interesting. What explains the 15-point jump in the participation rate? Women entering the workforce, I'm guessing? Also, I'd feel the data from two term presidents is small enough... as to be statistically meaningless. But it's interesting. A lot of people here are being ridiculous, though. I get the distinct sense that the country seems to be on autopilot, and talking to a range of people (also statistically meaningless, but whatever), a lot of people seem to wonder what exactly is the value-added of having Obama as opposed to... not having him. He doesn't seem to be affecting events, either positively or negatively.
