Looking for the Silver Lining

Many of you write in and say, "Cavuto, you're a hopeless Pollyanna. Things aren't that good."

You're right. They're better.

I just think all you're hearing is the bad news. There's plenty of it, to be sure. And there's no minimizing the pain for someone who's out of work and looking for work. All I'm saying is, we need perspective and honesty. That's something that a lot of my crape-hanging colleagues in the media wouldn't know if it hit them in the face.

Take retail sales. I've said repeatedly, that they weren't bad at the holidays and they're not that bad now. But no, all you hear is how all of us are in a funk.

That's bunk and here's why.

No less than Tom Redburn arguing in this past Sunday's New York Times that there's, "no need to wring hands over retail sales." He points out that in a low inflation to actually deflationary environment, "real" sales were strong, up 4 to 5 percent.

That's right -- they were up.

More people buying more things this past holiday than the year before. Not less than the year before. Not the worst in 30 years. Not the crummy Christmas the Wall Street Journal bemoaned.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Negative people love to report negative news. A lot of journalists are negative people. And no wonder: Their jobs are tough, their bosses are tougher and the prospect of staying employed is tougher still.

But that's not a reason to whine or to create stories to fit your dismal, pathetic, end-of-the-world view.

Look, if you relish being a miserable, selfish, doom-mongering wretch, that's your call.

Here's mine: not listening to you.

Watch Neil Cavuto's Common Sense weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on Your World w/Cavuto.