How would you describe the status of the US economy?
Short version: Continued slow/sub-optimal recovery.
Long version: Conditions continue to improve albeit very slowly compared to other recoveries. The consumer is back after focusing on their balance sheets for several years. Housing is improving off the all-time lows of 2009 and stagnation through 2012. Businesses are generating record profits but are reluctant to spend/invest because of crushing government regulation and uncertainty. Still plenty of slack in labor and manufacturing. There is plenty of upside in this recovery which is decidedly sub-optimal. But there has been a recovery for a while.
Third World