Are you better off than 4 years ago?

[kentuck]

Is that a fair question? What percentage of Americans would answer in the affirmative and be honest with their response? Of course, we would have some that would argue that Dubya restored 'honor and integrity' to the WH and that makes the whole country better off, but isn't that response a big pile of horseshit? I can think of no one area that we are better off. Honestly.

[slackmaster]

1. Yes it's fair and yes I am better off in most ways

And I don't believe who occupies the White House has a whole heck of a lot to do with it, at least in my situation.

[F.Gordon]

12. Repukes said the same thing about Clinton.....

And I don't believe who occupies the White House has a whole heck of a lot to do with it

You're doing well? Then count your lucky stars. You must be a Bankruptcy Attorney, Repo-Man, Process Server, or RNC Campaign Finance Manager?

I'd suggest maybe tuning in a little more into what's going on in this country and what Bush* is doing to it.

(with apologies to "Q")
- conservative estimates are that we will lose another 30% of our manufacturing work force by the year 2015
- Bush's* "trade team" is spending 100% of their time working on selling goods to countries that in the course of one year couldn't buy an hours worth of US goods. (payback to the "Coalition of the Willing")
- Bush* has done about the China/India problem. China is taking hi-tech jobs at 5 cents on the dollar and India is taking these same highly specialized jobs at 10 cents on the dollar (compared to the same wage paid in the US)

Bush* is turning this country into another Soviet Union.

[sexybomber]

2. yes, but it has nothing to do with Bush.

Four years ago, I was a sophomore in high school and I was miserable. Now I'm a sophomore in college and I'm anything but miserable, except when I think of the possibility of * being elected in 2004.

on edit: but I'm not really, nor have I ever really been in the workforce, so I'm not sure my answer has that much merit.

[salin]

3. I am, but my sisters family

is not - very, very hard hit - down from fulltime and over time to 6 hours of work a week for more than a six month period. Brothers family took a huge hit with college savings - and thus more is going to saving than spending in order to recoup - so they are a tad worse.

[zoidberg]

4. I'm better off

But as the others have posted, it has nothing to do with Bush.

[salin]

7. I should have added that as well

finished a high level degree at a strong institution, landed work in my specialized field by chance, parlayed it into publication, and was able to strategically plan to start a nonprofit (which has taken several years to do). THis has absolutely nothing to do with Bush, or with the economy.

The situations with my siblings' families, however, are directly tied to the economy.

[Demobrat]

5. I am a little better off financially

because I have managed to hang onto my job and take advantage of the low interest rates to buy an investment property in another state. Low rates or not I still can't afford to buy near where I work in CA. But I have spent the last three years worrying constantly about losing my job (with good reason, my Repuke owned company started cooking the books the day W took office, and got caught a few months later). So between the constant worry about the economy, the terrorist attacks and the regime's rush to exploit them, and the very good chance that W & Co. will be able to rig the next presidential election in his favor, I'd have to say that psychologically and emotionally, no, I am not better off.

[Madrone]

6. It's a fair question -

But I'd have to personally answer in the affirmative in regards to personal fincances, job, and job security.

HOWEVER - my dad's been out of work for a couple of years now, went back to college to make himself more marketable, and STILL can't find work. My mom lost HER job at Upjohn (okay, Pharmacia) a few years ago and is now working at her church, and has a part time job cleaning office buildings.

My step-sister graduated from college in December and is making $7/hour and having trouble supporting herself - creditors are calling her parents. (I think PART of this may be related to the fact that she doesn't really know how to manage money - her entire college eductation was paid in full, as well as all of her rent paid, car insurance, and the brand new car she bought 5 years ago completely paid off by her parents. I, on the other hand survived with NO help (got the bad credit to prove it!) and at the age of 31 own an '89 vehicle and have never owned anything newer... I also survived on much, much less than $7/hour .


That said - I despise * with every ounce of my being and the fact that I make more money now than I EVER did (no thanks to *!) doesn't detract from that in the slightest. Granted, I only make around 25k/year, but even if I were Bill Gates I wouldn't have it in me to like anything Bush is doing. The guy is an IDIOT and is ruining everything he touches. Any person with a brain should be able to see what a self-serving incompetent he is.


edited to add: although I am doing better financially than I have before that may soon change with the impending need to purchase fuel oil and pay for electricity to heat my home for the coming winter! It takes 100 gallons of oil every 3 WEEKS to heat my home, and I'm pretty worried about this year being even more of a problem than years past.

So - after subracting the cost of fuel oil and electricity from my pay I may be right back to averaging under $7/hour!

[JitterbugPerfume]

11. I am about the same

but two of my sisters have lost a huge chunk out of their retirment due to the stock market craziness in the telecommunications business

My property tax is about to go up , I am afraid

If it does, I will sell my home and rent

[VermontDem2004]

20. yup

my dad's been out of work for a couple of years now, went back to college to make himself more marketable, and STILL can't find work.

The same exact situation with my mom

[gully]

8. Nope!

[mhr]

9. Definately Worse

I am unemployed now for three years - a refugee from telecom and aviation. Bush has made the situation worse - no hope in sight.

[rock]

10. OK

- yes, it's a fair (and balanced) question
- no, I am much worse off than I was under Clinton
- however, you need a comprehensive answer (from all the voters). Going at it with a few anecdotal answers doesn't meant much. Suggest you repost with a poll thingy.

On edit: typo

[kentuck]

13. True, rock...

It's almost like an affidavit to keep Bush and Repubs on if you look at it from a personal level. However, we do note that even those that say they are personally better off, look at matters with more of a societal outlook. If they were Repubs, it wouldn't matter about anyone else, so long as they are doing well themselves. A basic difference between Repubs and Dems, I would argue.

[dennis4868]

14. MUCH WORSE

I am a lawyer and lost my job not too long ago and finally got another job after being out of work for 6 months with a wife and 3 year old and a new born. I have been stuck on the same salary for the last 3 years. SO I AM MUCH WORSE OFF NOW THAN I WAS A FEW YEARS AGO. The job market sucks all over the country.

Also.....I cannot think of one good thing Bush has done since the coup. Can anyone?

[Blue-Jay]

15. I'm better off, but

My personal situation is of no consequence to anybody but me. The fact is that the country is much worse off, and I (like many of you, I'm sure) lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the bush administration.

[samsingh]

16. it's a fair question

i would say that i would have been far better off under a Democratic President.

[Rainydaze]

17. Thank god for GW.

I've so much more leasure time since the economy dried up. I haven't been layed off, I've been Right Sized. And my bills keep decreasing! After my car was repossessed, it's been much easier to pay rent. Even better news, who would have known that selling your blood plasm would be such a great weightloss tool. Of course there is a downside to everything, as raman begins to pall, but it's just what I needed to finally become a vegetarian. Meat is too much the luxury. He really is the candidate for any Democrat. Look what he's done for minorities. Honestly they were the first to go, but now they have true equality. They're unemployed too! He is busy improving the environment. Look at how he's reducing our horrible power consumption! Half the United States in a brown out? If that's not saving petrol dollars I don't know what is. Compassionate Conservative, If I was a woman, I'd beg to have your babies. Feeding the starving in India by allowing the export of our entire technical sector, who would have conceived of this brilliance? G.W. BUSH! Hail our mighty imperator who makes 3rd world nations quake! Our mighty armies are busy pacifying the natives willy nilly all over the world. Even there he has the mind of a fiscal wizard, by reducing the hazard pay and family benefits of our armed forces; we're conquering the world,WAL-MART style. And he's tough on crime, you know it! He'll get Saddam and Osama, and fry them like fritters in July, YOU BET he will. All and all things have been looking up for me when Bush was elected. But probably because he kicked me flat on my back.

[kentuck]

18. Hey! Welcome to the club !

Same here.

[VermontDem2004]

19. Hell fucking no

this is probaly my most honest response ever and this is response is not guided by idealogy either it is the farthest thing from a lie.

[greekspeak]

21. Being a student and working part time

My income levels fluctuate erratically, based on what kind of PT work I can get. I had a job with a certain religious publisher, and before Bush had been in office a month, they were laying off people in the office. They could not do that to me because of a contract. I left after my contract. Then I came back, when the office was about 1/2 the size it had been. Then they terminated my contract. Currently, there is one person left with the company out of the 7 in the office. All the rest have been canned. Why? Donations PLUMMITTING after Shrub took over.

I just moved. My partner is making 2/3 what he was before we moved. This is more about moving than about the Shrub economy. I am starting a TA position soon for my PhD program, and that will bring some money in. So, in some ways i am worse off, but in others I am about the same.

[ArkDem]

22. I'm much better off but it has nothing to do

with this criminal administration.