table economic ground, but things have turned around. Private sector businesses are hiring again and have been for 31 straight months. Between July 2011 and July 2012, the economy added an average of 153,000 jobs every month. Since President Obama entered the White House, our country’s Gross Domestic Product has grown for 12 straight quarters and increased by more than $685 billion. At the same time, retail and food service sales have risen by $50 billion and corporate profits have neared record highs. Thanks to the landmark healthcare reform law, 18 million middle-class families will receive a $4,000 health tax cut. There is a lot of work still to be done, but it is clear that our economy is better off – and we are better off – than we were four years ago.