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COMMERCE SECRETARY DONALD L. EVANS CREDITS AMERICA’S OPTIMISM FOR GROWING U.S. ECONOMY
Evans Says Always Bet on America

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans today delivered remarks to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Policy Insider’s Breakfast where he discussed why Americans should feel optimistic and confident about the growing U.S. economy:

(Speech Excerpts):

-- In the great American story, there are chapters on Faith, Hope, Courage, Optimism, Perseverance, Innovation, and Competition—but you won’t find a chapter called “Pessimism.”

-- You can’t lift people up by tearing our economy down.

-- Economic pessimism plants anxiety for personal gain and political power.

-- We’re now seeing some of the strongest long-term economic trends in recent American history. More Americans are working today than have ever worked before. Over the last four years productivity posted the fastest rate of growth in a half century.

-- Homeownership, personal income, and corporate profits have never been higher. Take-home pay increased by 3.8 percent last year—faster than the averages of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

-- Last year, Americans bought more single-family homes than any year on record.

-- This year, we’re on track to break last year’s record. At the same time, interest rates, mortgage rates, and inflation are all down near historic lows. And, second only to Luxembourg, Americans are benefiting from the highest per capita income in the world.

-- Their pessimistic vision is outside the mainstream. They have lost confidence in America because they assume that Americans have lost the ability to compete, learn, and succeed.

-- We reject that defeatist, elitist, and condescending view. It would mean more government control, less individual responsibility, and less economic freedom. It would make it make it harder, not easier for American workers and enterprises to compete and succeed.

-- Pessimists preach class warfare. Optimists preach class mobility. Pessimists expect to fail. Optimists expect to succeed.

-- If anyone is squeezing middle class Americans it is those blocking the President’s economic plan. Replacing obstruction with action will give American workers and middle class families their best chance for success.

-- Those who bet against America by playing pessimism cards are playing a losing hand. America is a country in bloom, not a country in doom and our bright future continues to be guided by optimism.

***NOTE: For a complete transcript of the speech visit www.commerce.gov.