Stocks soar 85% in Obama's first term

[progree]

43. Yup, we have G.W. Bush to thank for that (do people here really prefer a declining stock market?)

# Using the last closing before inauguration (G.W. Bush inaugurated noon Jan 20, 2001, Obama at noon, Jan 20, 2009)
. . # When Clinton left office and G.W. Bush took office, the S&P 500 was at 1343.
. . # When G.W. Bush left office and Obama took office, the S&P 500 was at 850.
. . # Thus under G.W. Bush, the S&P 500 dropped 37%, from 1343 to 850. While under Obama, it rose from 850 to 1486 as of Friday 1/18/13 close, up 75%.

(The above are index values, they don't include the dividends which add about another 2% / year).

Some people in this thread here (not referring to you, daleo) seem to think it is horrible news that the stock market went up under Obama, I guess that's not supposed to happen when a black man is in the WHITE House, huh? Do they think it was really all that better under G.W. Bush when the stock market dropped 37%?? (measured from the beginning of his term to the end of his term)

Yes yes yes, I get it. Most stock market gains go to the wealthy. So to hell with some shlump like me and many other non-wealthy but getting old who are trying to maintain some savings' purchasing value (i.e. at least keep up with inflation) by putting it in some stock index funds. Like over half of working Americans, I don't have any pension benefits coming, so when I'm retired, it will just be my savings and maybe $16,000/year in Social Security (in today's dollars). I am so so so sorry for wanting the stock market to go up, I'm so so sorry. Really I am.

You know what? Most income gains go to the wealthy too. So is it such horrible news that inflation-adjusted income has finally started to turn up too? I mean if it is such a crime against humanity that the stock market is going up because the wealthy get most of that, then it logically follows that it must be a crime against humanity for average incomes to go up (since the wealthy get most of that too).

SHEESH.