CHANGE: Biggest drop in factory orders, shipments in more than a year. “So much for a fast start to the recovery in 2012. A week after announcing the worst durable-goods orders report in three years, the Commerce Department’s report on factory orders and shipments in January show the worst outcome in sixteen months. . . . Inventories, on the other hand, continued to increase — a bad sign as demand drops.” This is why the Obama Administration is trying so hard to silence its critics. They know they’re going to have problems enough between now and November. They’d rather talk about birth control.

So don’t cooperate in the distraction efforts.