Today, inflation is the lowest it has been since John Kennedy was in the White House. Today, unemployment is at 1958 levels. Home ownership is at its highest rate in history. And today, not only do we have a balanced budget, but we also have the largest dollar surplus on record. The stock market is booming and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said just five days ago that he believes it will continue.
Hourly wages are up at the fastest rate in two decades.
Over 17 million jobs have been created, and companies are seeing record-shattering levels of productivity. Your constituents are working harder and seeing better returns than Americans have enjoyed in a long, long time. It is a time to plan for the future. We are working to create a 21st Century American energy portfolio that is right for counties across America. Let me focus on these three points as examples of places where we can make significant cooperative progress.