Tuesday, April 28, 2009, I was told by the media that the consumer confidence was on the rise and that could show the beginnings of the recovery are finally here.

Consumers assessment of present-day conditions improved moderately, with those claiming business conditions are “bad” easing to 45.7 percent from 51.0 percent, while those claiming business conditions are “good” rose to 7.6 percent from 6.9 percent.

Consumers expecting business conditions to worsen over the next six months declined to 25.3 percent from 37.8 percent, while those expecting conditions to improve rose to 15.6 percent from 9.6 percent in March.

This is a good thing right?  God knows I want the recession to end and end soon, but who did these people talk with?  There is about 13.5 million unemployed and countless others waiting for the hammer to fall on their jobs.  What consumers are confident?

Then on Wednesday, 29 April 2009 the news of the GDP hit airwaves.

The U.S. economy plunged again in the first quarter, making this the worst recession in at least half a century.

Gross domestic product dropped at a 6.1 percent annual pace, weaker than forecast, after contracting at a 6.3 percent rate in the last three months of 2008, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. The report, which reflected a record slump in inventories and further declines in housing, comes hours before Federal Reserve officials decide how much money to pump into the economy.

Gross Domestic Product–value of production within a country’s borders.  This fell and now is as low as it was 50 years ago……what part of that breeds confidence?