White House Economic Director Hassett calls for the public to view economic data fluctuations rationally

May31, according to JIN10, White House National Economic Council Director Hassett said on Sunday that the way the media reports economic news often leads people to focus too much on the most serious problems at a particular moment. Hassett said on ABC's "This Week": "One thing I've noticed in the White House is that as long as some consumer price data looks a little disappointing, we only talk about that one thing." He made the remarks regarding gasoline prices and their impact on inflation. Hassett said everyone should look at the big picture, not just energy prices or a temporarily struggling sector of the economy. "What you should do is take these ups and downs in stride and focus on changes in real wages," he said. "If you look closely, you'll see that due to increased employment, rising stock markets, and robust corporate profits, this is translating into higher wage levels."