The Numbers -

The Numbers - I'm thinking Bush is going to have to start getting these numbers out there:

The numbers speak of strong overall economic growth. The gross domestic product — the figure for the total output economy — grew at an 8.2 percent rate in the third quarter of 2003, and at a 4 percent rate in the fourth quarter. The GDP is forecast to grow at a 4.5 percent rate in 2004. As economist J. Edward Carter writes: "For the third consecutive year, the U.S. economy is poised to grow faster than most other industrialized economies. France, Germany and Japan, for instance, are not expected to grow even half as fast as the United States."

The numbers indicate an economy constantly finding new and better ways to work. Nonfarm productivity — a crucial indicator of economic efficiency that corresponds over the long term with higher wages and greater national wealth — grew at a healthy 4.2 percent rate in 2003. During Bush's first three years in office, productivity has been increasing at a 4.1 percent annual rate, the best start to any presidential term in roughly 50 years.

It's eight months until the election, and it's already shaping up to be a doozie. As many things as I think Bush messes up, he's got a lot of potential great stuff out there - and Kerry's an almost boundlessly weak candidate, if we let him be.

Posted by Mitch at March 1, 2004 05:00 AM