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Subscribe to RSSIs the nation better off than it was four years ago?
The answer largely depends on the statistics you pick.
With President Barack Obama beginning his second term, there are plenty of numbers suggesting that the country is on more solid footing than it was when he first took office on Jan. 20, 2009.
NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro take a look back at President Obama's promises kept and promises broken in his first term.
The Dow Jones Industrial average is up 5,550 points since then. The economy is growing (instead of contracting). Consumer confidence has nearly doubled (though it remains below where it was before the Great Recession). And a larger percentage of Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction (but a majority still think it’s on the wrong track).
On the other hand, there’s data indicating that the nation isn’t better off than it was four years ago – and that the Great Recession continues to take a toll on families. Median household income (adjusted for inflation) is lower than it was in 2009. And more Americans live below the poverty level than they did four years ago.
And some numbers are exactly the same. The current unemployment rate is at 7.8%, which is where it was in Jan. 2009 (though it’s down from a high of 10% in Oct. 2009). And right now, there are roughly 49 million Americans without health insurance, which is identical to where it was in 2009. (The health-insurance mandate under the health-care law doesn’t kick in until 2014.)
Here are other figures over the last four years:
-- The number of U.S. troops in Iraq has dwindled from nearly 140,000 to just 200, while the presence in Afghanistan has increased from 34,000 to 66,000.
-- The federal public debt has increased from $10.6 trillion in Jan. 2009 to $16.4 trillion now.
-- The number of Democrats serving in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and in governorships across the country has declined.
Below is a look at Obama’s presidency – so far – by the numbers. The “then” figure is the best-available figure for when Obama was taking office in 2009. And the “now” is the most recent figure. First Read, in 2009, ran a statistical then-vs.-now comparison of George W. Bush’s presidency.
Unemployment rate
Then: 7.8% (Jan. 2009)
Now: 7.8% (Dec. 2012)
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 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)
Median household income (adjusted for inflation)
Then: $52,195 (Census data for 2009)
Now: $50,054 (Census data for 2011)
Americans living below the poverty level
Then: 43.6 million (Census data for 2009)
Now: 46.2 million (Census data for 2011)
Americans without health insurance
Then: 49.0 million (Census data for 2009)
Now: 48.6 million (Census data for 2011)
Americans receiving food stamps
Then: 33.5 million (average for 2009)
Now: 46.6 million (average for 2012)
Federal budget deficit
Then: -1.4 trillion (FY 2009)
Now: -$1.1 trillion (FY 2012 projected)
Federal public debt
Then: $10.6 trillion (Jan. 20, 2009)
Now: $16.4 trillion (Jan. 14, 2013)
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 Democrats in U.S. House of Representatives
Then: 257 (2009)
Now: 201 (2013)
Number of Democrats (plus independents caucusing with Dems) in U.S. Senate
Then: 58 (Jan. 2009)
Now: 55 (Jan. 2013)
Number of Democratic governors
Then: 28 (2009)
Now: 19 (2013)
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)
NBC’s Courtney Kube contributed to this article.
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I'm amazed we haven't sunk already with moratorium on drilling for Americans but ok for everyone else to drill in the same region; shutting down the Keystone pipeline; Rasising taxes for those who work he promised not to on the middle class > lying just like Bush; Major tax increase in socialize medicine coming soon as Supreme Court said it's a TAX.
The Agenda is by both leaderships in both parties to bring about the NWO, but first they must disolve the sovereignty and eliminate the Constitution that protects free citizens freedom.
That's why they love it when democrats and republicans at the grass root level bicker and fight because it takes our eyes off the real issue coming down
Republicans and Democrats let us work together for the good of the nation. Those Republicans in congresss that are obstructing the progress of our nation, stop and join your colleagues for the good of our nation. You will not regain presidency if you continue down this path. Americans have had enough of your divisiness, enough is enough.
All the gop has to do is what the dems did in 08 start running people of
color so that the uneducated blacks and latinos no longer control the
presidential vote The dems knew that hillary could not win so they got a black
man in to gain the votes of all those who HAD NEVER EVER VOTED BEFORE with the
help of acorn and george soros who financed (1.5 billion dolars) to gain the
over the top vote. In 2008 there were over 8 million new voters and most were
only voting because of color.IF OBAMA HAD OF BEEN A YOUNG WHITE SENATOR HE
NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO START WITH HE HAD NO CREDENTIALS.
Rollij--sorry, but the Republicans in CONGRESS (and I AM assuming you mean the House of Representatives, since that is the ONLY branch of our Congress which is controlled by the Pubs) are doing the EXACT THING that they were elected to do.
the Dems controlled BOTH houses for 4 years, and we, the voters, did NOT like what they did with that power, any more than many of us liked what the PUBS did when THEY were in control, in both cases, especially when they also had the White House under Bush OR Obama.
We, the voters, were SO disgusted with it that we elected an overwhelming # of Pubs to the house in '10, and REaffirmed it in 2012, BECAUSE we wanted SOME one to put some reins on the mad power grab that was going on. FAR from being obstructionists, the Republicans in the House are being a safety belt to help SLOW down a rush to socialism, which has not nor will ever work well in this country.
And you DO know that it takes TWO sides to have a conflict, and NEITHER side gets to proclaim the other as 'obstructive'. Just DIFFERENT.
And since our founding fathers were VERY careful to set UP that system of checks and balances to PREVENT one party from totally controlling our government, I think things are going the way they should in Congress.
Thank you President Obama for the accomplishments so far, especially healthcare reformed. Good bless you. You are admired for staying cool, calm and collective despite the insults from those who oppose an African-American President. Today we honor Martin Luther King for his fight for democracy and for equality of all race, and equal justice for all. Rest in peace MLK.
Yes Obama has been amazingly diplomatic considering the @!$%# the republicans heaped on him from day one.
Yeah right, let's honor MLK by having a useless Federal Holiday that comes just a month after the Christmas holidays, just when those of us who work for living are trying to get our businesses back up and running.
Rollij--sorry to tell you this, but Obama and Obama care did NOTHING To "reform health care."
They merely changed the way it was paid for. And nationalized health care, world wide, has resulted in massive deficits in the countries that have it.
Meanwhile, doctors I know are retiring early, or switching to specialties that do NOT require them to use hospitals, or just refusing to take Medicare or Medicaid, which will no longer cover the costs of the treatments.
And hospitals all over the country that are already struggling will be forced to cut back on nursing staff, which means CARE will be compromised.
Tell me how that has done ANYTHING to make health care better?
Mars AX--re: MLK federal Holiday--ESPECIALLY since the majority of Blacks, who work low level jobs, do NOT get it off.
The main ones supporting that is the UNIONS.
@MOmaid,
These days, i'd guess that even blacks working remenial jobs, have the option to take the MLK Fed Holiday off, even if it's without pay. I'd imagine that a lot of blacks choose to work on that day, just because they need the money.
As best I can, I ignore the MLK Holiday, because unlike the other Fed Holidays, it's a "special interest", political, Holiday for blacks and their liberal supporters.
Spoken like a pair of darkies on the dole !
Obama couldn't even pass a basic background check. Are you lefty cretins , kidding?
He's a TOTAL FRAUD
How much longer are the Three Stooges (Obama, Pelosi and Reid) going to blame everyone else on this crap economy? Don't they have mirrors??
@sofork,
That's the main reason the magic mulatto got re-elected, demonizing/demeaning and/or blaming those bigoted, rich, Republican dinosaurs (or more specifically, those evil, greedy, sucessuful white folks) for the crap economy and everything else that's wrong with America.
The idiots are out in force today. The economic problems took 40 years to create starting with Reagan. They were blown out of the water with 3 unfunded wars, 9/11, The economic crash and a trillion dollar give away to big pharma in the prescription drug benefit. At the same time that idiot Bush cut taxes across the board! This has created the perfect storm of increasing debt with declining revenue. Do you think these problems will be fixed in 4 years? Your candidate mittons asked for 8 years to cure them.
This moron posted the same drivel 4 times
HELLO cretin -- No one is buying it , unless it's
a) his base of darkies, beggars, white trash losers, deadbeats and unions
b) Dyed in the wool lefties, too dumb to think on their own
which one are you ?
I think you mommy is calling Barry,time to go walk the dog.
Save justice--the idiots include YOU then, since deficit spending did NOT begin with Reagan.
Try again.
the fact is, Obama has on HIS watch about 1/3 of ALL the deficit spending that has been done accumulated in the HISTORY of this country, (he deficit spent as much as Bush did in EIGHT years in only four of his own) with NO plan to reduce either the current deficit, OR to control its growth.
And THAT is idiotic.
Bull@!$%#. Regan had the most in history. Take a course in government or read a book. Bush was spending 1.4 trillion a year Obama is down to 1.1 trillion. Do you think the debts of the past just go away when a new president is elected? We are paying for 3 unfunded wars, the 1 trillion dollar give away to big pharma, the crash, 9-11 etc. At the same time Bush cut taxes across the board. Am i getting through at all?
You are an idiot, lets see, this moron said he would close Abu, and he allowed Two wars to continue and many more secret attacks which cost millions of billions. Your comments are ignorant and leftist, get a clue dumb as$!! This creep will destroy our country and your pay check, if you work, will be ripped off. This clown is a biased turd, wake up savejustice and what are you saving, justice? 4 more years of mass disaster and tax and tax and tax, yea that will work, he will go down as the stupidest president EVER!!
how can people post on here and say the Obama has turned this country around. Look at the number of people living on government aid. Food stamps, section 8. The only thing he is moving around are other peoples money. Take from the hard working and give to the lazy.
The increase in food stamps are a direct result of lower wages in right to work states, outsourcing jobs, and union busting. All of these are republican policies.
Save justice--sorry, but NO, it is not. It is a direct result of UNEMPLOYMENT. And no matter HOW this administration CLAIMS to have 'lowered the unemployment rates to the same as in 2009', the fact remains that there are FEWER people gainfully employed NOW than in 2009 despite us adding 6-7 MILLION new workers to the workforce from HS and college.
It is also telling that the sum of benefits "earned" by many greatly exceeds MY income. And I don't take a DIME from the government. And consider myself to be lower middle class, and pretty well off.
The UNIONS busted themSELVES with their greed. And sorry, but Dem owned businesses ALSO out source jobs, and in right to work states, no one gets their tires slashed or their homes egged, for not wanting to join the union.
UNTIL we go back to making it more lucrative/rewarding to WORK for a living than it is to sit on your duff whining about how much money OTHERs have, we will never get back the prosperity we once had.
And if you want to talk about policies that have DESTROYED this country, lets just START with WELFARE--passed with the GREATEST of intentions, which has created GENERATIONS of people who do NOT value education or hard work or even MARRIAGE (since initially you were penalized for that) and which actually ENCOURAGES people to 'have babies' for a 'living'.
I have done well in this economy thank you very much. I don't blame my failures on others. I am not in a union, but I know the unions are directly reponsible for high wages I earn. I know that most of the folks on food stamps and welfare are elderly, disabled, single mothers with children, disabled military, and low wage enlislisted.Sure there are some moochers, there alway were and always will be. It is a cost of a free society.
Savejustice, what a name, what justice!! What you just said means nothing, as this turd is racking up so much debt, more than every presidents combined, he is taxing and lying and taxing and lying over and over again. You don't get it like most demo-morons. This has to stop as he will, mark my words, will end up taking 50% of OUR checks, that is total Marxist Socialist garbage and if you can't see under this clown's skin what he is doing, then your just stupid. What you said is always the case, some people need help, but this idiot has gone overboard and will destroy this country in his lame next 4 years....
Save justice, no matter HOW you cut it, the deficit, when Bush took over, was about 7 trillion. Bush ran it up nearly 5 billion more in his 8 years, thru his unfunded wars, and his tax cuts.
Obama LIKEWISE has run it up about 5 billion. Difference is, Obama did it in FOUR years. And while you are comparing Bush's worst years of deficit spending, you are comparing it to Omama's BEST year, when he no longer has TWO unfunded wars. (RIGHT on Bush's timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, by the way.
And here's the kicker, Save--I NEVER voted for Bush, and was JUST as angry over HIS economic policies.
I DID vote for Obama first time out, but he did NOT do what he said he would, which is to NOT be like Shrub.
And has done LITTLE more on Social issues, either, so which of us is the BLIND follower of ONE party? (or man)
Voting 'for' Romney (actually, voting AGAINST 4 more years like the last four) when the LAST time I voted for a pub was a vote against DUKAKIS, makes ME the one who actually is open minded.
@Savejustice,
We get it, nothing is ever the fault of Obama and/or the liberals. you go girl.
This Marxist Socialist moron doesn't have a clue, that taxes and taxes the middle class, a total lie which is what this moron is about. You people out there have not a clue and the lies that spew out of his mouth. The BS about all people that make under 250k WILL NOT BE TAXED MORE, was the biggest LIE ever, my taxes went up big time, he is the worst of the worst, at least George W told the truth about affairs in the USA and backed up what he said. This leftist freak will end up taking 50% of your money to give it to the lowlifes of our society. He will be the worst and most destructive so-called president ever!!! Get ready to eat that chit sandwich over and over again, he will run wild and it makes me sick to watch all this BS of an inaugural bunch of tax payer pomp...Heading for the toilet to puke!!
Lie baby, Lie!!! Typical tea-bagging liar, you think you can say anything you want to and that's enough to make it true. Most people would call that psychotic thinking!!!
I doubt you can puke out all the poison within you, but hey, give it a try!
The Great Divider in Chief.
Cry baby, CRY!
The man (Obama) says the opposition won't compromise and then says he won't negotiate.
We're not better off than 4-years ago, and in 2017 we won't be able to say we're better off than 8 years ago.
And yes, sofork, he is absolutely a "divider". He doesn't want the populace to come together unless they all come together for him. What mystifies me is how he thinks he can get away with what he wants when he only got about half the vote.
Let's see a little more disrespect for the Constitution from the guy who just took an oath to uphold and defend it..
See "right there" is the problem... countryfriedsteak... Clue-Less... "oh you do know more parts for Toyota's are made in the USA than Ford or Chevy"...Yeah I guess so, and do you know "why"? For you and all the other dumbbutts to make the comments just like you made. The "Feel Good" about buying Foreign Owned Products. Sure they'll give the good ol USA a little "chump change"...if it will help them sell their products in this Country.
13,000,000+ new cars a year in this Country is alot of "chump change". Next time you go buy your nice little foreign car...ask them who owns the company and where the profits go? They sure don't "stay" in this Country. They don't Invest in this Country, Pay taxes in this Country, Support the military in this Country, but you can bet they "expect" us, the good ol USA to protect them when there's a problem.
And furthermore, if you look back in time, you will know "why" Foreign Auto Makers are putting together cars and making parts in this Country... It's cheaper than them paying the "import tax".
25 years ago, people working on the Assembly line at GM in Balt. Md. were making $30 an hour, how much is Toyota/Lexus, Nissan, etc., paying workers today? Gasoline has gone up 5 fold since then, is Toyota payiing it's workers in this Country and in their own Country $150 an hour? If not and you've bought into the Foreign Car market, work for the Foreign car market in this Country, you just screwed everyone in this Country.
That's right, let the good ol USA make the rest of the world rich, buy Chinese.
Well let's see, Obama just took an oath today to uphold the Constitution. Last time I looked the 2nd Amendment was part of the Constitution. So all of you Obama lover's, explain how the concept of controling any weapon is upholding the Constitution? "Arms"...hasn't this Country been involved in a "arms" race in the past? Arms... as classified/defined by the Government of this Country when it comes to "other" Countries includes terms such as weapons of mass destruction. Ummmm am I correct? Therefore "arms" as refered to in the 2nd Amendment, according to our government, includes weapons of mass destruction. So...how can "any" firearm, weapon, assult, automatic, semi-automatic, single shot bazooka, etc., etc. etc. be controlled under the Constitution? Whether you like it or not, that's the Constitution. And, if you don't like our Constitution, wanna change it to "fit" your wants... move!!! There's pleenty of Countries where weapons are outlawed, you're free to go any ol time ya please. America, love it or leave it!!! The Constitution has been just fine for more than 200 years, so what's your problem now?
You Obama lover's are nothing more than a bunch of tail tucking whimps, too chicken to fight for America. Nope you whimp-azzes just let American's get taken hostage, killed and do NOTHING about it.
Seriously?! Absolutely not. Look at personal income. Look at national debt. Employment unchanged. The most divisive populace since the beginning of the Civil War, which is why his approval ratings are up, because his backers have fallen into lock-step believing he is the messiah (drank the kool-aid).
In my lifetime I haven't seen this country so close to a "break-down". Guess some folks think if the government can thumb their noses at the law it must be okay for them too.
G.W. Bush and the GOP were the best thing that ever happened for me! If the Republicans and their Wall St. Bankster cohorts hadn't destroyed the economy and driven house prices into the ground, I would never have been able to afford the home we bought in 2011. I bought a forclosed house that was valued at $250k, before the GOP fraud was exposed, for $73k after the exposure. So I say 'Thank You" to the GOP criminals for destroying the economy just long enough for me to jump in and buy the house of my dreams!
The GOP has no-one to blame for their current situation but themselves! The choice this country was given in the last election was either a fascist, vulture capitalist who was hell bent on the destruction of Social Security and Medicare or a morally bankrupt, homosexual loving, social panderer. The Democrats were the lesser of two evils, and it's was as simple as that!
I am willing to wait and see how sucessful Obama is this year but remember Harry Reid has to try to push Obama's agenda through the senate and so far he has not had much success. So this year should be interesting but I have serious doubts that Obama will accomplish very much despite having his Presidential Campaign and the Liberal Media doing all they can for him.
The most telling of all those comparison numbers is this one: 2008 33.5 million people on food stamps 2012 46.6 million people on food stamps. An increase of 13.1 MILLION people receiving food stamps in only 4 years!!!! Thats 3.3 MILLION new food stamp subscribers per YEAR!