Amid signs that the labor market is approaching a trough but remains frail, the consumer sentiment index declined to 72.5 in March from 73.6 in February. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had been expecting the sentiment index to hit 74 in March.
Consumer sentiment is "meandering," wrote Ian Pollick, economics strategist with TD Securities, in a research note. "


The above quote is from MarketWatch about yet another piece of bad economic news on Friday. See my previous article (skip33666 search of "Users") to fully understand the reference to the "frail" labor market "at the bottom of the trough". Even though not as dishonest as the despicable AP (see previous article again), MarketWatch IS a mainstream media/Wall Street site that does not totally give the "news" right down the middle. If you read my articles, you know that the labor market reached a--not necessarily "the"--"bottom of the trough" months ago. For those months--in some ways, such as the unemployment rate, all of the way back to July--the labor market has NOT IMPROVED. For the past three to four months, it can be said that aspects of the labor market have DETERIORATED. Jobless claims---the measure of layoffs--have INCREASED over the past 3 to 4 months. The four week average is higher now than it has been in four months.


Note again that economists (the Stupidest People on Earth) got consumer sentiment wrong again. No, they were not way off (for economists), but they "predicted" IMPROVEMENT, when consumer confidence actually FELL (got worse). Now all of this may be pretty much within the "margin of error", but somehow economists almost never get it right. Yet, these are the people that central planners (leftist Democrats who believe in Big Government) depend upon to know enough about the economy to do better than the free market. That is a ridiculous position, which is why the faith of leftist Democrats in government central planning is absurd--both in theory and in practice.


Finally, note that consumers in general are smarter than the AP, and rest of the mainstream media--admittedly a LOW bar. Consumers are perfectly aware that things are NOT IMPROVING, and that the Obama "stimulus" has FAILED. One of the most astounding numbers I have ever seen is the poll number about the percentage of Americans who believe that the Obama "stimulus" has actually created jobs (net): 6^ (or was it as high as 8%) of Americans believe that the Obama "stimulus" has "created" (net) jobs. As I have previously said, I think you can get a bigger percentage than that who believe that CHILD PORN should be legal. And the poll was commissioned by leftist/mainstream media organizations.


Americans have rightly concluded that we have BANKRUPTED the country for NOTHING. Yes, we may not be getting significantly worse, but neither are we getting significantly better. And in trying to use the Federal Government to MAKE things get better (if you want to be that generous to what is really a political "slush fund"), we have made it almost impossible for us to have a sustained recovery.


Meanwhile, President Obama fiddles (with health care). As I have stated: "Obama fiddles--with health care--while America burns." The reference, of course, is to Roman emperor Nero. And the health care bill for which Obama, Reid and Pelosi are engagin in/have engaged in bribery, extortion, blackmail and intimidation, will not even go into full effect for FOUR YEARS. Even if the 2700 page bill were a good idea, and it is not, we may not SURVIVE (as a healthy economy) for four years.