Because the dollar is weak, our stuff is cheap. The only reason that trade number is up, I'd bet a beer, is the weak dollar.

(We have family visiting from Europe at the moment. They seem to be on a nonstop shopping spree because everything is so cheap here).

Because the dollar is weak, our stuff is cheap. The only reason that trade number is up, I'd bet a beer, is the weak dollar.

(We have family visiting from Europe at the moment. They seem to be on a nonstop shopping spree because everything is so cheap here).

Which is exactly the point. Floating currencies are great for this reason. Economy does badly? Currency is devalued, making you more competitive on the world market, increasing economic activity.

The fact that US trade is being buoyed by the weak dollar is exactly what you expect and want to happen in this situation.

Gol-dang-it! We need to cut off international trade! Big-mouths from both sides of the political spectrum agree that NAFTA must go! Free trade, my patriotic American butt!

Most of us patriots do not understand nuthin, but let's cut off all imports, and keep the exports a-flowin'! Yeah! That's it! Let's only burn patriotic American oil, and let's export all them pointy-headed economists and such.

Plus! War is our best export, ain't it? Let's keep on a-killin'! Let's destroy the rest of the world, just like we destroyed Iraq. Then them other countries will have to come to us for everything! Bring back the early 1950s! That's what I say, and I'll tell ya, Senator McCain would say the same gosh-durned thing if the liberal media would report it!

Damn reality! God bless America!

How would it look in real terms?

So, you gonna believe the crew that produces the CPI and unemployment data? I'd recommend you do not! GDP data are notoriously capricious and almost always get revised at least twice. At least with this variable the Beltway crowd admits, it is only an ESTIMATE. And backward-looking at that. Ignore it.

This stuff, like most "earnings 'estimates'," originates from ANALysts. Watch out.