Are you better off today than four years ago. Hell, no . . .

[mistertrickster]

Had an opportunity to look at some US Census data and came across this--

Read it from bottom to top.

Median wages (in constant 2003 dollars, i.e., adjusted for inflation)

2003 23,276 -040
2002 23,316 -430
2001 23,746 -124
End Clinton / Begin Bush
2000 23,870 +426
1999 23,444 +768
1998 22,676 +685
1997 21,991 +820
1996 21,171 +522
1995 20,649 +323
1994 20,326 +548
1993 19,778
End Bush I / Clinton's terms begin

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/p01ar.html

Clinton's policies raised the median wage over 500 dollars a year for a total of 4090 dollars over eight years. Bush policies have lowered the median wage by almost 600 dollars in three years.

[havocmom]

1. Pensions not worth much now, if you still have one to count on

[Sparkman]

2. Thanks for the confirmation. FROM THE GOVERNMENTs own stat's!

also, from 8/1/2004 L.A. Times' Michael Kinsley:
From the years from 1960 to 2002, in those years that Dems were president, we did a better jo than did the Repubs, in National economic performance. source: www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/index.html

1)Real growth ave: Dems=4.09% vs Repubs=2.75%
2)Unemployment: Dems=5.33% vs Repubs=6.44%
3)Fed. Spending: Dems=19.58%(of GDP) vs Repubs=20.87% GDP
4)Annual Inflation: Dems=3.81% vs Repubs=4.85% on ave.
5) Annual Deficit: Dems=1.21% vs Repubs=2.74% GDP
6)Gov. Revenue (taxes):Dems=18.39% vs Repubs=18.12 GDP(a paltry % difference Repubs always brag'g)
7) Personal Income: Dems=$15,565 vs Repubs=$16,061 (to be fair, still only $496/year)

AND, if the 1st years' data in each term of office (with a political party change) is attributed to the previous party, say in answer to the argument that responsibility can't begin so soon for the mistakes of a predecessor, AND if we begin in 1982 (instead of 1960) to weight the Reagan "tax cut era" heavier: From 1982 to 2002:

8)The only effect is that the dems beat Repubs in PER CAPITA personal income.

Now who's the fiscally responsible party again....DEMOCRATS !

[mistertrickster]

4. Wow, good link . . . that's a keeper

Wonder what this would look like using just Reagan/BushI & II versus Clinton?

[woodsprite]

3. Absolutely no American is better off today than 4 yrs ago.

Not even the rich repuke ones, but they're too slimy, greedy and stupid to realize it or even care.

I'm buying my cubbymate at work the disappearing Bill of Rights mug. Maybe he'll get a clue - he's a voracious coffee drinker.