Prosperity in George Bush's Economy

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. Posted January 6, 2006.

Why are folks so pessimistic about our boom-boom American economy? Because for most of us, it's painful to live in.

The economy the cable news networks gush about is going gangbusters. We're hearing about 10 straight quarters of strong growth in gross domestic product, and jobs being created at a clip of over 2 million per year. Unemployment is down, and more Americans own their homes than ever before. And don't forget, Americans' net worth is at an all-time high! And all this prosperity, the corporate media will tell you, is thanks to five years of President George Bush.

But that's an economic picture you won't find hanging on the wall of any normal American house. Most of us know that we're not doing as well today as we were a few years ago. According to a recent Gallup Poll, almost two-thirds of those asked said the economy was "fair" or "poor," and almost six in 10 thought it was getting worse.