Talk about a glass half-full exaggeration. Check out the spin in this article, Consumer Confidence Near Four Year High. You have to scroll down to the last paragraphs to get the full effect.
In the report, the research group said that those who deem current economic circumstances as “good” moved up to 28.3% of those survey in March, versus 26.4 who said the same thing last month. Those who saw conditions as bad fell to 14.7%, versus 15.4% who held that view in February.
Consumers’ assessment of hiring also gained ground. Survey respondents who say jobs are “plentiful” stood at 28.4%, up from 27.4% the prior month. Respondents who believe jobs are “hard to get” were nearly flat, at 20.7%, from 20.2% in February. Consumers’ jobs outlook also gained ground, although those anticipating a rising income was steady at 18.8% of the survey.
Now I’m not an economics expert or particularly good at math but, when I turn to my calculator and subtract those who thought the economy was “good,” I get 71.7% who must have answered “fair,” “poor” or “bad.” Even if there weren’t that many multiple-choice answers, that leaves 57% who must have said something like “the same” or “I dunno, I’m too busy paying bills to think about it.”
Same with the jobs outlook: I wonder what the other 50.9% had to say about employment prospects. I also ponder exactly what kinds of jobs are “plentiful.”
Now, maybe I’m an idiot and don’t understand how these things are calculated or measured. If so, will someone more knowledgeable please explain how this works?
I don’t know about the rest of you but Hubby and I are barely treading water and he makes a better than average salary.
I’m not exactly sure what they’re talking about when they say consumer confidence. Confidence it what? They can buy a refrigerator on payments and be reasonably sure they’ll have a job until the payments are through?
I’m not that confident and it’s based on the things that I have to buy on a consistent basis; cereal, milk, bread, eggs, orange juice, toilet paper, gasoline, clothing.
Milk in my area is $4 a gallon. Gas is hovering around $2.60. Those things take a huge bite out of my husband’s very good paycheck. Both of us feel fortunate that he has a good job, but he doesn’t feel secure in it anymore and feels as if he could be laid off at any moment.
I just checked my receipt from yesterday and I paid $4.99 for the premium local brand. I stood there and considered the other brands; one was $4.49 and the store brand was $3.99. I tried the store brand once and it tasted watered-down — literally. Next time I’ll try the middle-priced brand altho I would like to continue to support the local dairy…
Hubby aced his performance review like he always does and got a 3% pay raise yesterday — the first he’s had in the last five years. So it’s not like he’s beating inflation but it made him feel more secure in his job. After two transfers, this is the third position he’s had this year. That boost of security mattered more to him than the extra bucks which will all go to paying down our credit cards. I don’t feel like we moved ahead at all. We just took a tiny step toward being even while the cost of living rockets upward.
Been thinking the same thing lately – we’re not making any less than we did before but it sure as hell is harder to keep up with the bills.
Then that asshole in the White House tells us how strong the economy is.
And all the while we’re pouring $8 million per hour down the drain in Iraq.