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Why the optimism?

Thu., Dec. 31, 2015

The headline above a Dec. 23 front page article in The Spokesman-Review — “U.S. rides a strong economy into 2016” — suggests that we should all be very optimistic about the economic future in our country.

However, two articles in the Business section — “Revised 3Q figures show sluggish growth,” and “Home sales tank in November” — suggest that the headline on page 1 might be more political than economic. Is the new normal for economic prosperity 2 percent growth?

With the labor participation rate at a 38-year low, the low unemployment numbers touted by the current administration leave anyone with the least bit of knowledge of economics scratching their heads.

Keith LaMotte

Spokane

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