Friday, October 30, 2009
Resurgent economy?
U. S. gross domestic product rose at a 3.5 percent annual rate for the third quarter (July-September). This is the strongest rate of growth since the third quarter of 2007, and the first growth since the second quarter of 2008. According to the Washington Post (free subscription required), the surge is related to one time programs like the cash for clunkers auto program and the first time home buyers incentive program, both part of the stimulus package. The Wall Street Journal Reports the White House will claim today the stimulus created or saved 650,000 jobs. The Hill reports Steelworker's union President Leo Gerard urges President Obama to seek a second stimulus focused on infrastructure. But this AP article says the stimulus job creation math is funny, yielding overestimation of jobs creation in the thousands.