![investingstrategies_2[1]](http://www.businessinsider.us/BusinessInsider/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/investingstrategies_21.jpg "investingstrategies_2[1]")
By Rocky Vega
(The Daily Reckoning) It’s true, the 3.5 percent third quarter GDP growth could be a sign of good things to come… but most likely that’s not the case. Brian Sullivan of FBN has put together five reasons why the US is not recovering.
1. The money lost on stimulus spending – The 3.5 percent growth in GDP is roughly equal to an additional $112 billion dollars in output quarter-over-quarter, but we spent $173 billion on stimulus over that same period. Basically, GDP gained about 65 cents for every dollar spent on stimulus, not exactly a win.
2. The weak job market – In October the total number of people filing for some kind of unemployment rose to over 10 million for the first time in history, and no new jobs are replacing the ones that are lost.
3. Consumption is only up because of incentives – Cash for Clunkers, tax credits on energy efficient goods, and other programs have only temporarily goosed shopping. US consumer spending has already fallen again in September… for the first time in five months and by the largest amount in nine.
