re: "...paint the current economy as a bad one."
No idea what you're talking about. Maybe there's a particular report you are talking about?
AP: The U.S. economy grew at a lively 4.3 percent pace in the third quarter, the best showing in more than a year. The performance offered fresh testimony that the country’s overall economic health managed to improve despite the destructive force of Gulf Coast hurricanes.
USNews: Bullish reports on growth
CNN: Partying like it's 1999 -- into 2006
I note that there are signs of increasing inflation which may indicate more interest rate increases in the future. If that's a mathmatical backflip, then I apologize for it. But I'm very very glad it is reported because I base investment decisions on such information.