ECONOMY SLOW; STOCK MARKET FAST

All signs in recent months indicate a sluggish economy. The growth is at an underwhelming 1.3% per annum rate. China's is near 12%. We have lost thousands of factories to other nations and millions of good jobs went overseas, but the price of stocks on Wall Street keeps rising to records highs. A contradiction seems to exist in the figures, but one can to reason out what's happening.

Profits are up for most corporations, probably because the labor forces employed are working for less these days because their standard of living is low. Also, many of the foreigners and not subject to expensive union connections or government regulations, including environmental rules.

In other words, labor costs are down and so net profits are up. This enhances the prices of the shares bought and sold in the companies we are discussing here.

Investors are enriching their net worth, not so much for the good of America but in spite of this once proud nation.

This ugly condition has solutions. Raise tariffs, invite the factories back, end out-sourcing, stop illegal immigration, and wage peace not war.

IT'S ALL SO SIMPLE.

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Thinking Departments

* Iraq's Congress wants to take a two-month vacation. Vice President Cheney is rushing over there to try to stop any recess. Even important voices in our Congress are upset that leaders in Iraq would consider relaxing when they ought to be bearing down. I wonder whose decision this is. Isn't it their country? We are the liberators and occupiers - then who is "the decider?"

* The city parks in St. George and surrounding communities have an impressive scheduling arrangement. When there is no organized baseball, softball or soccer on the parks, the canines get to romp and..........

Quotable

"I was a Republican until they lost their minds." - Charles Barkley