President Bush’s economic record is no longer much of an issue. Why? Because the American economy is so damn strong. The U.S. created 2.2 million jobs in 2004. This year, approximately 1 million new jobs have been added to the workforce. And the Democratic Party’s negative drumbeat about manufacturing? Well, it turns out to be complete nonsense:

The Institute of Supply Management's survey of executives at goods-producing companies came in at 56.6, the best reading of 2005 and up from the 53.8 reading in June. The closely watched survey, one of the first economic readings for July, had been forecast to rise to 54.5 in July.

Any reading above 50 constitutes growth in the sector, so Monday's survey means that manufacturing has grown for 26 straight months, the longest expansion in the sector in more than 16 years, since nearly three years of uninterrupted growth ended in April 1989.

What is the Democratic Party strategy? Tell a lie long enough and people will start to believe it? Thankfully, we live in an open society, where good information flows freely.