What it means is another year sort of like last year, when gross domestic product grew 2.4 percent. That means another year during which the job market doesn't get a whole lot better, but also doesn't collapse. It means another year during which promises of a strong economic rebound are postponed, but so are fears of a double-dip recession. Another year, that is, that will stump the doomsayers even while it fails to inspire us to party like it's 1999.

Justin Fox