[trebb]

Consumer spending in the U.S. rose in January even as incomes dropped by the most in 20 years, showing households were weathering the payroll-tax increase by socking away less money in the bank.

Could be used as an argument that things got so good under Bush that there is still a little money left to spend despite the atrocities of the last 5 years........Of course it might also be a sign of despondency and demoralization as folks under Zero have just given up any hope of salvaging a future...

[MrB]

Or it could be a sign that people are converting soon-to-be-worthless currency into harder assets.