It is widely accepted that these growth forecasts are far too optimistic.
The government's growth projections of 1.3 percent in 2011, 2.5 percent in 2012 and 2.7 percent in 2013 are far too optimistic, he said.
Consumer groups have long complained that the E.P.A.'s ratings are far too optimistic, compared with fuel economy that drivers achieve under real-world conditions.
Those expectations are far too optimistic, numerous studies have shown, most notably a 2003 study by Mr. Case and Mr. Shiller that found, for instance, that homeowners in San Francisco expected annual price increases of 15.7percentt.
Most of the world's oil analysts, he believes, are far too optimistic about how long existing fields will last, the prospects for new discoveries, technology's ability to unlock new sources and to extend the life of existing ones, and so on.
Biden and those around him do not seem to believe that McChrystal's strategy can work — not because they question the abilities of the military, but because they think the generals are far too optimistic about the civilian elements upon which the overall plan depends.
