[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19092]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                MISERY INDEX LOW; PROSPERITY INDEX HIGH

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, for years, the Misery Index has 
measured the good or bad impact of the economy on everyday Americans. 
The Misery Index is the combination of the unemployment rate and the 
inflation rate.
  President George Bush has the lowest Misery Index of any President 
seeking re-election in 30 years. The Misery Index under President Bush 
is only 7.3 percent. Over 1.7 million jobs have been created just in 
the last year. President Bush's initiatives have given Americans 
economic growth and a freer and more secure country.
  Mr. Speaker, given President Bush's good record on the economy, maybe 
we should give him credit for a prosperity index.

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