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Home Front: Politix
Analysts see solid US economy in 2005
2004-10-05
Here are an assortment of good news on the economy
Construction Spending Hits All-Time High
Stocks Rise Sharply on New Economic Data
Stocks Rise; Nasdaq, S&P at 3-Month Highs

During August, Personal income increased by 0.4 percent

Here is the main article
Gross domestic product -- total economic output -- was expected to grow 4.3 percent in 2004 and 3.7 percent in 2005, said a panel of 38 forecasters in the National Association of Business Economists (NABE).

"After a soft patch in the spring quarter the economy appeared to find firmer footing this summer," NABE president Duncan Meldrum said.

"Fortunately, our panel expects the expansion to gain additional traction over the second half of this year and advance at a solid pace in 2005," Meldrum said.

Asked how they might adjust their forecasts, 82 percent of the economists they would make no change for a win by Bush and 58 percent said no change for a win by his Democratic challenger.
Looks like the Economy is picking up right on time. Of interest is that the economists see Bush as a lock (82%) that the economy will grow - but Kerry barely manages a bit more than half (58%). These are the Pros, guys whose livelihood depend on these reports and they factor in oil prices and terrorism as well. I wonder how Kerry will spin this?
Posted by:OldSpook

#3  too many things would happen in 2005 to have any hint of certainity. Iran what would hapen there? Nigeria? North Korea? Taiwan?....

I would say invest in medical/biotech and arms and security firms.
Posted by: Anonymous6361   2004-10-05 7:22:09 PM  

#2  What the article states is true enough if one only focuses on those economic trending factors, but..

Crude oil is in danger of bolting far beyond $50 per barrel contingent on a very nervous energy trading pits quickly reacting to serious additional attacks on Opec or major non-Opec oil exporting nations (other then Iraq). There is another lurking concern among energy traders, which is the very real possibility of substantial oil export disruptions (Iran) with the start of the new year, plus the fact the winter, if very cold, will rocket up heating oil, natural gas & propane prices even further from near record highs, an no ice, no snow on the ground in northeast cities...yet.

In addition to the energy complex, copper prices continue to soar along with energy costs which are some of the ingredients for the 'i' word .......whisper this softly ........(inflation).

The Bush White House can not be blamed for typical energy market reactions. Another key point which should be considered. The Dems conveniently ignore, if Saddam was permitted to remain in power, and Osama killers had been left alone, energy costs might very well be a lot higher then where they are at present due to more mass murders terror attacks after 9-11, coupled with a possible repeat of Kuwait oil being threatened with an Iraqi invasion.

How soon the Kerry Crowd forgets and so they should knowing how John Forbes Kerry voted the first time Saddam invaded and burned every oil well in Kuwait. Kerry & the neo-socialist limousine liberals did demand huge global protests over the most massive oil spill in the history of the Persian Gulf. Like the 'human shields', where are they now when fellow Americans are being murdered in Iraq by the very psychotic Islamic serial killers they formerly protected? What a bunch of two-faced hypocrites!

Kerry and his 'global test', what a lot of bollocks! In the first Gulf War the U.N.-backed coalition included Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar. All the pieces were there, including the cause of justice.

Note this FACT: Sen. Kerry actually voted against S.J. RES. 2, the congressional authorization that empowered President Bush 41 to liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein's brutal Iraqi invaders. (I hope someone at the top of Bush election campaign is reviewing this....hammer away at this Kerry FACT, the clock is ticking.)
Posted by: Mark Espinola   2004-10-05 4:49:01 AM  

#1  Although Bush has signed off on growth in government in several cases, in most he has embedded elements that will be important in reverting control of spending to citizens in the end. I would much rather see the pie continue to grow through changes like removing double-taxes on dividends even if there is some movement on creating new entitlements like the senior drug benefit - I think in the end the Health Savings Accounts have got to be better than HMO's.

Bush also gets a bum rap for adding baggage inspectors to the governement rolls. There can't be that many sane people who would have seriously established legislative grid-lock at that point in time.
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-10-05 2:35:43 AM  

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