John Lott, the guy who quantified the view that “an armed society is a polite society” by demonstrating that cities and towns with concealed carry laws have lower armed crime rates than those with gun control, makes a new, important if counter-intuitive argument here. He notes that, by any indicator of recession — including employment rates and growth, our economy, which has surely taken some big hits, is not in one now. Period. He further points out that the media loves to amplify bad economic news in election years when there are GOP incumbents, to better the chances of Democrat challengers.

I’m not an economist, and I hate personal anecdote masquerading as meaningful data as much as the next person. But I have been looking for a new home here in NYC, and not only are the brokers moving apartments at a rapid clip, but prices are still through the roof for all size units. So far downward stickiness is holding, and the only place prices have been cut is where things were mispriced to begin with. For that matter, every square inch of housing on this island has been “marked to market,” and there is not a bargain to be had. Not even in the neighborhoods you would have been nervous about walking in a decade ago. Not that that’s relevant. I’m just complaining….