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Sustaining the Good Economic News: A Considered Opinion

Alice M. Rivlin
Alice Rivlin
Alice M. Rivlin Former Brookings Expert

September 1, 1999

The remarkable performance of the U.S. economy in the late 1990s—the simultaneity of strong growth, low unemployment, and quiescent inflation—has everyone asking “How long can the good news last?” Are we enjoying some brief moment of serendipity when the economic stars happen to be aligned? Or is there something we can do to keep the strong performance going?