Are we better off than we were 4 years ago?

[CowboyBob]

Barack Obama completed his first term. Are we better off than we were 4 years ago? What are the facts.....

Dow Jones Industrial Average
Then: 7,949.09 (close as of Jan. 20, 2009)
Now: 13,534.89 (close as of Jan. 15, 2013)

Gross Domestic Product
Then: -5.3% (1st quarter of 2009)
Now: +3.1% (3rd quarter of 2012)

Consumer Confidence (1985=100)
Then: 37.4 (Jan. 2009)
Now: 65.1 (Dec. 2012)

Americans without health insurance
Then: 49.0 million (Census data for 2009)
Now: 48.6 million (Census data for 2011)

Federal spending as a percentage of GDP
Then: 25.2% (FY 2009)
Now: 24.3% (FY 2012 projected)

Median sales price of new homes
Then: $208,600 (Jan. 2009)
Now: $246,200 (Nov. 2012)

Number of U.S. troops in Iraq
Then: 139,500 (Jan. 2009)
Now: 200 (Jan. 2013)

Number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan
Then: 34,400 (Jan. 2009)
Now: 66,000 (Jan. 2013)

Americans who believe the country is headed in the right direction
Then: 26% of adults (Jan. 2009 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 41% of adults (Dec. 2012 NBC/WSJ poll)

This is Obama's Record in the face of the biggest obstructionism in history.

We're heading in the right direction. The Afghan war is winding down and will end in his second term. Spending has slowed down. Forbes is reporting that President Obama has actually been tighter with money than any President since Eisenhower.

http://tinyurl.com/c6b2acy

How is it possible republicans have managed to trick Americans into believing the whole “Obama as big spender” narrative? They listen to propaganda and the first year of Obama's first term (2009) the budget was set by Dubya and congress in progress four months before he took office.

So, yes, we are better off than we were 4 years ago, thanks to President Barack Obama!


http://www.google.com/finance/histor...Mj_IeHY0QGr5AE

http://www.google.com/finance/histor...UMC7Aca40gHcag

http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1

http://www.conference-board.org/data...confidence.cfm

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthi...011/Table7.pdf

http://www.census.gov/const/uspriceann.pdf

http://www.census.gov/construction/n...ewressales.pdf

http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml

[Rolyo85]

Socialist propaganda!

[MisterB]

Thanks Cowboy Bob for doing all the legwork here.

To answer your question, Yes, indeed we are. On so many levels. I can only imagine how many more international conflicts McCain/Palin would have gotten us into. I think we dodged a bullet (bad pun intended!)

Methinks we dodged another one on November 6, 2012.

[CowboyBob]

Socialist propaganda!

Oh?......so the progress we're made is all Obama's fault!

[Rolyo85]

Let me also add:


Number of states with marriage equality in January 2009: 2

Number of states with marriage equality in January 2013: 9

[justdra]

I judge by my pocketbook and yes I am better off, lol and have I job begrudgingly go to because I like the pay so yes, I am a true american. And you know no matter how many facts you post, it won't matter to some. If it rained jobs tomorrow, some would complain that enough americans didn't have umbrellas.

[CowboyBob]

I judge by my pocketbook and yes I am better off, lol and have I job begrudgingly go to because I like the pay so yes, I am a true american. And you know no matter how many facts you post, it won't matter to some. If it rained jobs tomorrow, some would complain that enough americans didn't have umbrellas.

Is the country perfect? No. But are we better off? Yes.

[palbert]

Fortunately, yes. But we have more to do.

[csb999]

question : what do you mean by "biggest obstructionism in history" ? Secondarily I do think we have to be cautious or objective about how much the actions of any one politician can practically affect one unit of a global economy . France or the UK is probably better also , and I believe house prices have risen considerably everywhere . The extent to which any politician can really do anything . FDR was I think a very great man but all he could do was change things a bit . The Depression was a world event .

[nycguydowntown]

Is the country perfect? No. But are we better off? Yes.

Modern world economies have seen 3 economic catastrophes --one in the US in 1930's, one in Japan in the 1990's and one in the US in 2008---if Obama had co-operation in helping clean up the mess the GOP made in this country, we'd be even better off than we are---but given what he's been dealing with---(an opposition trying to make things worse for their political benefit) ---he's done okay.

[csb999]

you would have to compare similar numbers from different political units to say how the US is in any way different from the rest of the world , better or worse . Knowing nothing about economics I seem to recall having come across the idea that the actions of the Federal Reserve were a considerable factor in the depression in the US and then I think independent of any political action .

[loki81]

better off. not entirely convinced that it's because of Obama versus natural economic ebbs and flows.

won't be terribly surprised when the lack of significant regulation coming out of Washington produces another bubble, though.

[maxpowr9]

won't be terribly surprised when the lack of significant regulation coming out of Washington produces another bubble, though.

There already is one. It's called student debt which is over $1trillion sitting in the government's lap alone. That bubble will burst before the end of this decade. That's why government loans for education should only go to students attending state schools and not private/for-profit ones.

[csb999]

again knowing no economics - years ago idea talking about internal versus external debt . I bet almost every penny of that debt is owed to other Americans . So a huge movement of capital entirely locally .

[eastofeden]

How is it possible republicans have managed to trick Americans into believing the whole “Obama as big spender” narrative? They listen to propaganda and the first year of Obama's first term (2009) the budget was set by Dubya and congress in progress four months before he took office.

So, yes, we are better off than we were 4 years ago, thanks to President Barack Obama!

They have been successful in convincing some Americans because they are basically a 24/7 propaganda machine driven by greed and the desire for power and control which coincidentally is the hallmark of a rapist. The poor teabaggers still think they are a "grassroots" movement **cough** Koch Brothers** cough**

...and speaking of the Koch Brothers....they are basically the driving force instrumental in creating and delivering the propaganda....

Of course we are better off today...

[JustMe5]

This all has what bearing on the average person's life? Everyone's specific situation is different. More people on foodstamps now than ever before. I know a woman who's been out of work for two and a half years. Do you think she's better off now than she was 4 years ago?

[Rolyo85]

question : what do you mean by "biggest obstructionism in history" ? Secondarily I do think we have to be cautious or objective about how much the actions of any one politician can practically affect one unit of a global economy . France or the UK is probably better also , and I believe house prices have risen considerably everywhere . The extent to which any politician can really do anything . FDR was I think a very great man but all he could do was change things a bit . The Depression was a world event .

Firstly, just refer to the record number of filibusters in this administration. And by record, I don't mean "the biggest of similar numbers", but "a number unimaginable until now".

Secondly, why is this argument only used to deny Obama successes, but it is suspiciously lacking whenever he has to be blamed that an old lady didn't get assistance crossing the street?

[CowboyBob]

And I forgot to post the link for the original post:

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2...ough-sell?lite

[andysayshi]

question : what do you mean by "biggest obstructionism in history" ?

This is a graph of cloture votes/filibuster motions in the US Senate. In President Obama's first term, Republicans invoked the filibuster almost twice as much as any other time in history.




This is a graph of the bills passed, as a percentage of bills introduced. Republicans have blocked the passage of more bills than any other period in the history of the US government.

[xbuzzerx]

Haters gonna hate. Fantastic opening post, Bob. I actually learned that we're doing better than I thought we were.

[csb999]

andysayshi - I do thank you for answering so clearly , that was an actual question not a criticism . /// Rolyo85 again no criticism , instance of one Canadian premier like a governor who was attacked in the media for his horrendous handling of the economy and I was thinking how much he is actually able to do ?

[JB3]

I am not, but I blame my state and not the federal government. I am seeing the positive results of what is posted above, however.

[Just_Believe18]

better off. not entirely convinced that it's because of Obama versus natural economic ebbs and flows.

won't be terribly surprised when the lack of significant regulation coming out of Washington produces another bubble, though.

Take a trip down memory lane between the final months of Bush's presidency and the first few months of Obama's as he was firing up his Administration to tackle the rapid free fall of the U.S. economy with his policies and stimulus. We were heading into a depression. The sharp stop and reversal to recovery was not just an ebb and flow. Without a serious stop gap, the economy was heading into a very dark place. It just didn't bump back naturally. The Obama Administration deserves that credit.

I am better off than I was 4 years ago. In fact, I made a post before the election of how the last four years actually saved my job and changed my life for the better. I voted for Obama not out of party loyalty, but out of genuine thankfulness. Thanks CowboyBob, for crunching the numbers.

[xbuzzerx]

Take a trip down memory lane between the final months of Bush's presidency and the first few months of Obama's as he was firing up his Administration to tackle the rapid free fall of the U.S. economy with his policies and stimulus. We were heading into a depression. The sharp stop and reversal to recovery was not just an ebb and flow. Without a serious stop gap, the economy was heading into a very dark place. It just didn't bump back naturally. The Obama Administration deserves that credit.

I am better off than I was 4 years ago. In fact, I made a post before the election of how the last four years actually saved my job and changed my life for the better. I voted for Obama not out of party loyalty, but out of genuine thankfulness. Thanks CowboyBob, for crunching the numbers.

I think 'because it didn't happen', it's easy for people to not conceptualize how close to an actual, real, disastrous collapse we were 4 years ago.

[CowboyBob]

An "ebb and flow"..?

The total collapse of the American economy during the Bush administration wasn't ebb and flow. Cripes!

And I am better off than I was four years ago.

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

This all has what bearing on the average person's life? Everyone's specific situation is different. More people on foodstamps now than ever before. I know a woman who's been out of work for two and a half years. Do you think she's better off now than she was 4 years ago?

I am not better off than I was four years ago. I am, however, better off than I was three and a half years ago

[Rolyo85]

I am not better off than I was four years ago. I am, however, better off than I was three and a half years ago

And we are all better off when you post here

[GiancarloC]

But all the evidence is socialist liberal commie propaganda... lol. Taking the line from some of the right wingers on here.