So I'm out and about covering "the election" and not "economic policy" until about Wednesday, but today's news that GDP grew at only 2 annualized percent during the third quarter of this year shows us how the latter intersects roughly with the former: Whatever the politicians and activists I'm reporting on do to cajole voters, the fact is that the results aren't there yet. Readers of TAPPED are well aware of arguments that structural factors, like the state of economy, over-determine election results; this is simply an opportunity to drive the point home a few days before the election.
True, this is at least expansion, and more than the last quarter, but it's weak sauce (to use a technical term) and the economy still hasn't returned to its pre-crisis peak in 2007 -- that's three lost years. The debate out here is about who's at fault (most people still blame Bush) and what to do next (people are confused). However you cast debate, though, dissatisfaction spells trouble for the party in charge.
-- Tim Fernholz
