Seems like all of our anxiety and concern about the government meddling in the free market was uncalled for, ladies and gentlemen, with official reports now confirming the recession is at long last over. At least this is what the Obama administration would have you believe, citing new figures released last week verifying that the economy did indeed grow at 3.4% last quarter. The only problem? It was the federal government—not US consumers—who were fueling much of that growth. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, “whose recession is over?” we analyze the newest data, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

I know, I know, I know. Better to “light a candle than to curse the darkness.” But in spite of some guarded enthusiasm coming from the White House and their media lapdogs, our economic outlook still looks dreary. Ostensibly, last Thursday was a milestone: the recession was finally over (according to standards laid out by most economists). But if we look at what actually prompted last quarter’s growth we shouldn’t be surprised by the results. Out of the 3.4% surge the Department of Commerce cited, 1.6% came from the ill-conceived and abysmally-managed Cash for Clunkers program. Internet automotive authority Edmunds.com did an analysis: nearly 690,000 vehicles were sold during Cash for Clunkers. Of those cars, only 125,000 were sold as a result of the program. The rest of the sales would have happened anyway, regardless. When the billions of dollars used to subsidize this triumph of stupidity gets factored in, the American taxpayers forked an incredible $24,000 per vehicle as a result of the rebate. Doesn’t sound like a good deal to me. In fact, it sounds like another example of typical government bungling, which is now being falsely heralded as a positive sign for our economy’s improvement.

As you and I both know, the recession is alive and well. It won’t last forever, but to defend massive government spending by presenting figures which are at worse completely misleading, and at best worthy of suspicion, will not hold water….no there in the Common Sense Club, that is. You can’t spend your way out of a recession…a little Economics 101.

THAT’S MY OPINION, WHAT’S YOURS? WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!