Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics...
A classic technique of statistical fibbing is carefully selecting the range of the axes on your graphs. One can make a one percent rise in a statistic look like Mount Everest, and make a precipitous drop look like a blip on the curve. I suppose this graph is no exception, but the important point is that the stock market is still miles above what it was in the Roaring 80s and even the Expansive 90s. The economy is not as badly in the tank as the media is trying to sell us--at least until November 5.