Optimism: Soaring consumer confidence bodes well for U.S. economy

Consumer confidence hit its highest peak this month since June 2001, the AP reported Tuesday.

That means we are buying more today than at any other time in the last 16 years, and given the economic crisis of 2008 and the  sluggish recovery that came after, that is saying a lot.

At least some of that credit has to go to President Donald Trump. His surge to office sparked a major uptick in the markets which have experienced record highs again and again since he took office.

Unemployment, too, is at a 16-year low of 4.3 percent, according to the AP report.

So more people have jobs, are spending more freely, and things are looking up.

And the president will continue next month to renegotiate NAFTA with our trade partners to the north and south of us, promising to bring American-owned factories back within our borders and put even more people back to work.  

We've been pretty tough on the president for some of the things he has said -- and tweeted -- and rightfully so, it is our job to keep a check on our elected officials both local and federal, including our friends to the right and our friends to the left of the political spectrum.

But numbers don't lie, and being in the black beats being in the red when it comes to the bottom line.

Published in Editorials on August 30, 2017 10:42 PM