General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Republican recession and the Democratic recovery (updated again)
Republican politicians continue to push policies which have clearly failed. Trickle down is popular with the voters, because it promises them free money, but it does not deliver the prosperity.
The American economy is still climbing out of a very deep recession. One which began under the Presidency of George W. Bush.
Here are job gains, or losses, for recent history, by quarter-year.
First, the severe Republican recession
2008
1st (151,000)
2nd (568,000)
3rd (921,000)
4th (1,936,000) !!
total (3,576,000) while Bush was still President
2009
1st (2,330,000) !!
2nd (1,510,000)
total (3,840,000) Obama's first five months in office, clearly too soon to be blamed on any of his policies, although the stimulus was passed in February (and Republicans are STILL running ads claiming that it did NOT work)
2009
3rd (770,000)
4th (487,000)
total (1,257,000)
I still call that a success, for the economy to NOT be losing over 1 million jobs per quarter. The free fall was stopped, although the economy kept falling in the second half of the year, it was at a slowing pace.
Then the recovery started, while the media constantly complained "we are not recovering fast enough".
2010
1st +124,000
2nd +695,000
3rd (160,000)
4th +449,000
total +1,108,000
2011
1st +450,000
2nd +641,000
3rd +449,000
4th +543,000
total +2,083,000
2012
1st +829,000
2nd +294,000
3rd +471,000
4th +642,000
total +2,236,000
2013
1st +618,000
2nd + 400,000
3rd +515,000
4th +595,000
total +2,128,000
2014
1st +569,000
2nd +800,000
3rd +671,000 (mostly provisional)
total (so far, and provisional) +2.04 million
The private sector, since December 2007 has gained a net of 620,000 jobs. The total economy has only gained 113,000. Meaning there has been a loss of 507,000 government jobs. (Since I wrote that, Government has now started adding jobs too + 55,000 in the last two quarters.)
Without those cuts, we'd have a gain of over 1 million jobs. After the loss of 7.4 million that happened at the end of Bush's term. Since 2010, the economy is PLUS 9.58 million jobs.
I probably should include a link
http://www.bls.gov/data/#historical-tables
coos bay tom
(3 posts)I have been observing the economy getting steadily better. As a self employed building contractor I feel I am on the front lines of the economy.. Republican strategey led to the recession and a Democratic administration has pulled us back from the brink of doom. Statistics prove it.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)I actually started it back in late 2010 and now just keep updating it.
Somehow I think facts might matter to some voters. While Republicans run ads complaining about the economy - an economy that cratered under their watch.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Republicans create recessions, Democrats fix them
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)Like the bad economy is Obama's fault.
I've seen campaign ads making that claim
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)because I have this naive belief that information like this MIGHT help us win in the election.