To the Editor:

Re “Perception of Economy Elevated by a New Presidential Salesman” (front page, Aug. 12 ):

The United States economy has been stable over the past three years, half under President Barack Obama and half under President Trump, as this article points out. The story line in this article is that people’s views of the economy are largely partisan.

The poll data in the article does not back this assertion exactly. Among Democrats, views of the economy have remained stable over the past three years, reflecting the actual economic conditions. Among Republicans, views of a favorable economy have gone from about 20 percent to 77 percent during the time the economy has remained stable.

A more accurate characterization of the polling data is that Democrats tend to have a realistic evaluation of the economy regardless of who is in the White House, while Republicans have a wildly partisan view.

Arthur Kosowsky

Pittsburgh

To the Editor:

The standard measures of American prosperity that President Trump touts are as out of date as a 1950s sitcom. Gradual growth in the gross domestic product and a low unemployment rate may indicate that large businesses are flourishing, but these figures do not accurately portray the reality of most Americans.