Jobless Recovery is no Recovery at all

Jay Bookman, from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, states this very eloquently:

"So far, President Bush has responded to that concern with a studied air of defiance, insisting that the economy is doing fine and that his policies are working. "The economy is getting stronger," he said last week in California. "Inflation is low; interest rates are low; manufacturing is up; home ownership is strong. The entrepreneurial spirit in America is alive and well, and one of the reasons why I think we're doing so good here in America is because of the tax relief we passed."

Notably missing from the president's description of why "we're doing so good here in America" is any mention of jobs. Yes, the stock market is up, as are corporate profits. If you work on Wall Street, these are indeed good times. But to most Americans, the primary function of an economy is not to drive up stocks, but to put people to work so they can support themselves and their families and contribute to their country. By that very human measure, a jobless recovery is not a recovery at all."