I love you guys. Despite the dow plunging more than 10% the economy is "very strong". Why , is it because personal debt is up higher than it was when Clinton left office? Is it because savings are down since when Clinton left office? Is it because unemployment is up since when Clinton left office.. None of the actual facts or measures of the economy matter to you. Except - well there is some guy who says that it is strong. So it must be true.. You should be smacked around with a live trout

No, you sad little monkey, the determining factor in a strong economy isn’t the DJIA, personal savings, or the unemployment %. The economic indicators are evaluated in 7 categories.
1. Total Output, Income, and Spending
2. Employment, Unemployment, and Wages
3. Production and Business Activity
4. Prices
5. Money, Credit, and Security Markets
6. Federal Finance
7. International Statistics

On the basis of these factors, the economy is stronger now that at any time since the 1950’s. A housing slump hasn’t slowed it; a trade deficit hasn’t cooled it; inflation hasn’t killed it. War, natural disaster, pestilence and plague haven’t quelled American’s ability to succeed; only democrats can kill this goose of a thousand golden eggs.

Btw, when stock prices are low … buy!

liberalT, if Bush did anything to hurt the economy, it was to increase government spending. But, why don't you tell me what you think a democrat would do that would create economic growth. Increase taxes? Increase the size of welfare state? Increase the size of the "public sector"? Deficit spend? Have the government give out cheap credit so poor people can buy houses?

you have to be kidding me.. Disdain that list is just cherry picked and massaged ignore other indicators that aren't doing so well. Can't you guys have an argument without resorting to 3rd grade insults. I feel sorry for your mothers'...

The name’s Dasein not Disdain, are you trying to be clever?

Cherry picked? You really don’t know a thing about economics do you? What “indicator” isn’t on that list? The things you mentioned are on the list; personal debt and savings are in #1, unemployment is in #2, Stocks, bonds and investments are in #3. Economists aren’t cherry-picking; you’re the one that want to consider the unemployment percentage without considering employment. You’re the one that wants to consider debt without considering spending. You’re the one that wants to consider the equities without considering productivity; Credit without Securities.

robert poses a good question; what does a democrat have to offer? More to the point, what did Clinton do to improve the economy? I know, I’ve asked that question a dozen times and you mindless mimeograph mynah birds can’t point to a single policy/program or achievement from the Clintons.

And, my mother’s dead, fu¢k-wad.

There have been other bubbles that burst and the North American economy keeps chugging along. This particular bursting bubble will just be a memory like 1987 and the dot com burstings down the road.

But of course I could be spectacularly wrong.

Canuckguy,
Most of the bitter leftist out there (3moreyears) will miss this opportunity as they’ve missed every other during the past 5 years while bemoaning the eminent demise of the American (and Canadian) economic dream.

Dasein: Most of the bitter leftist out there (3moreyears) will miss this opportunity as they’ve missed every other during the past 5 years while bemoaning the eminent demise of the American (and Canadian) economic dream.

That was a good article. The only thing I disagree with is investing in health care mutuals. I wouldn't do that until after the elections -- and only after I knew the configuration of the new congress.

But I have to say I'm loving this correction. Okay, maybe "loving it" isn't exactly accurate. It was awfully hard to wait and watch the stock market go up while I was positioned more to avoid losing money than to make it. Now, all of a sudden, my position is looking pretty good. But I think your article is right: I wouldn't buy bonds now, either. The time for that is over. But if anyone were inclined to act on my advice (which is a dubious proposition at best), it would be to wait a while before jumping into the stock market. But if you have really big balls and a lot of time on your hands to watch the ticker constantly, the options market might be worth a look.

DL,

Not missing the opportunity, seizing it. Glad I'm not in equities like you, or what you claim to be in. This has been a long time coming. Some, like yourself, have belittled the reality on the ground, but now reality is asking to be paid. You could say I was early on the call. That's true, but the call was clean and now we will see what falls out.

I'm ready! I'm also way ahead of the play at this point and plan on staying that way.

Rico, I'm not a "bitter leftist." I'm just not a born again believer. I call it as I see it. That may be contrary to your view but what do I care. In fact, I'm more a "bitter human." Hard days are upon us all and only the strong and prepared will survive. Not the faithful.

See you in hell.

oh - ok Disdane. If you say so.. There is a simple way to see if the economy is doing well. You ask the people who matter - the American people. 74% think their economic situation is worse than it was in 2000. I guess they all must be stupid and not able to "understand economics" as well as you do...

And by all means - you should be banned for your language. Its ok Disdane - we love you anyway. We don't spew such hatred as you do

3 more years: I'm not a "bitter leftist." I'm just not a born again believer.

Neither am I. I'm a believer, but not born again -- I've always been that way. And I apologize if you construed my reproduction of Dasein's remark as representative of my feelings. In retrospect, I should have been more careful. But now that you're engaged...

I call it as I see it.

So do I.

That may be contrary to your view but what do I care.

It's not. But even if it was, you shouldn't.

In fact, I'm more a "bitter human." Hard days are upon us all and only the strong and prepared will survive. Not the faithful.

I'm sure you would agree that your comment is pregnant with interpretations you probably didn't intend. Then again, maybe you did. Either way, I think it's best I leave it alone.

See you in hell.

Oh probably.

But here's the big picture to me: I will plunk my money down ANYWHERE I think it will do ME (and let me emphasize that... ME) the most good -- within the parameters of the law, of course. In contrast, I will PUT MY MOUTH where I think it will do the NATION the most good. Sometimes those two motivations coincide. But sometimes they are at odds. When they are, I am perfectly willing to put my nation's interests above my own. I will always advocate for those things I think are best for the nation, and always have. But at the same time I never put myself in some kind of position of ultimate authority. In other words, on an investment level, I have no problem investing in things that I think will make money EVEN IF I would prefer they didn't.

robert – good questions. It’ll be interesting to see how s/he answers.

• I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
Winston Churchill

• If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free.
P.J. O'Rourke

Rico,
My analyst has increased his equities portfolio over the past three weeks and advised me to do the same. On the equities purchases he made for me I’ve lost 4% of the value in the past week. Yesterday I got back 2% of the value; what a ride! My analyst is the one that sent me the article with the warning, “Be patient.” He’s the guy that steered me out of the market in 1987, into Bonds two weeks before the crash, and saved me a fortune. Overall my investments are still up for the year quite significantly; moving out of Bonds and into equities just as the big push began.

Tell ya' what; I'll ask my analyst to put some assets in health a care mutual and we'll see where it takes me; I'm not adverse to a little risk if the potential rewards are great (unlike liberals that want no risk in anything but a government guarantee. Then they don't understand why they are miserable that there is little or no return on that “investment”.)

3more,
“Reality is asking to be paid???!!
Well, tell reality I checked the monthly statement and my reality bill is fully paid up. WTF, have you been lost in EverQuest for the past 5 years?

If you’re not in equities I hope it’s because you got out three weeks ago, otherwise you’ve missed one of the best runs in years. But, as I’ve pointed out many times before, your “Hard days are upon us all” statement only proves you’re a half-empty kind of guy; bitter, lonely, angry, miserable – in short ~ a liberal.

liberalT,
The name’s Dasein . You rode to school on the “little bus” didn’t you? Try it; D•A•S•E•I•N; pronounced Dee-ZIne. Now you say it.

Spook’s first rule of holes. It’s not 2000; why don’t you join us here in the 21st Century; “The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had dipped in June, rebounded in July. The Index now stands at 112.6 (1985=100), up from 105.3 in June. The Present Situation Index increased to 139.2 from 129.9 in June. The Expectations Index rose to 94.8 from 88.8.”

Now, answer robert’s question, or answer mine, or go back in the corner and cry because I’m picking on you’re sorry @$$. I honestly don’t care.

i guess DISDANE you ARE saying that the American people must be too stupid to know what is good for them. Typical.

Look. The point is simple - yes there are a small few are making a killing with this. The vast majority of Americans disagree with you and believe their economic situation has gotten worse under the bush era...

So you’re incapable of answering the question, and incapable of getting my name correct. thw only thing simple around here is you.

I told you before to get lost when you were using your previous sobriquet, yet you come back to embarrass yourself, what a fool.

Economy strong??!!??!!

What a joke.
The stock market now needs cash infusions and interest rate cuts to stay alive and keep from crashing.

The national debt is approaching nine trillion dollars.

More and more jobs are being outsourced to China.

The dollar is going way, way down against the Euro, yen, and yuan.

You guys' opinions are laughable.

ThELefTYFoOL

"A $413 billion budget deficit"

That's according to the conservative think tank known as....the heritage foundation.

ThELefTYFoOL

Boy it must be tough living in a trailer park Leftydrool....snicker...snicker!