Hurricanes as bad as they are, are usually an economic stimulous. Massive construction provides a boost in jobs and manufacturing. I'll concede Katrina might be different, but not based on a waive of your hand. There are many reasons to believe it should have been an even stronger stimulous such as double building of both temporary and permanent replacement housing and unprecedented handouts. The same holds true for 911. The immediate impact was negative, but both should have provided a long term boost by creating a surge in economic activity that would not have otherwise been needed. I lived on the gulf coast for 16 years Tom and heard this type of analysis over and over.

I watch economic statistics closely for 20 years Tom as an investor and even longer just as part of being an informed voter. I think this recovery stunk. Job growth frequently did not meet the supposed minimum for new workers of 150,000/mo, income disparity grew, and real wages for most workers declined. The lag between downturn and recovery was one of the longest and shallowest in recent history. The fact that corporate profits grew at a great rate is of small comfort to most Americans. Trickle down economics is a lie. It's just a fig leaf to make the rich get richer and the poor get poorer sound like an illusion when in fact it has been the reality for many.

And no Mr Bush I won't right the IRS a check voluntarily while your contributors continue to get tax breaks I disagree with and use their increased wealth to buy more power, influence and unequal justice. I've travelled a lot of highways over the past few years and have been a cross country traveller for 32 years. Our highways are just the most obvious sign of our deteriorating infrastructure based on the Republican ideal that taxes can never be too low. They can be too high and too low. The fabulous 90's economy should have been a clue that we had it just about perfect.

Regards,
Mark