Governments do whatever they have to, to try and make themselves look good!  If you want the truth about the economy, just go for a walk in the mall, count the people who have bought something compared to those that didn't.  Walk around your neighborhood, see how many cars are in the parking lot at the local restaurant or hotel.  Bankruptcies and foreclosures are still on the rise, and will only get higher.  But the interest rate has to go up, because this government has debt obligations and gifts to foriegn governments it needs to make.  Better for teh middle class to go broke, than the political slush funds.