Evaluation of the policies of George W. Bush and his Republican conservatives on America.



The Bush administration claims the economy is growing. It is true statistics show that corporate profits are increasing and there has been some job and GDP growth. The fact remains that the areas in which the economy is growing are not affecting the average person.

Recent studies have shown during the past year, the average price of homes has increased 20% while wages for middle income workers have increased only a few percent. The result is middle income America are worse off today in terms of being able to purchase a house. The same thing is true for health care and the increase in energy prices. The impact on the majority of Americans from this so-called growing economy is that they are worse off even with the economic growth. The middle income are worse off because their wage growth has not kept pace with the increased cost of healthcare, housing and energy. The poor have had NO wage growth. The group of Americans that are better off are those that receive a great deal of their income from dividends. Corporations have increased their profit margins and are paying larger dividends. The problem is that has not helped the middle income or poor Americans meet their day-to-day living expenses.

Especially problematic are the increased energy costs. They are MUCH worse then a tax increase because they impact the poor, the middle income and the wealthy alike. Tax increase generally do not impact the poor . It is no wonder why the polls show that most Americans do not approve of the way Bush is running the economy. The reality of the economic growth is it is NOT helping the poor and middle income Americans who are worse off today than they were in January 2001.

Comments (Page 1)
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on Aug 09, 2005
yep 3 million new jobs since last august, unemployment at a steady 5%.. who is working all these new jobs privategene?

Oh I know all republican millionaires are.
on Aug 10, 2005
Yes, there are new jobs. There are also almost 6 million new workers since Bush took office. The issue is not job creation but the fact that housing, healthcare and enecry costs are growing FASTER then wage growth. Thus, even with a job, the Middle and low income workers find their after tax wages buy LESS then before. The ONLY group that has done well under the Bush economic policy are those that receive the higner corporate dividends and TOP corporate execuatives!!! These are also the same group that has received the BIG tax cuts ( those who have get). That is NOT where the low and middle income workers receive their income.

The Bush policies are working for the people it was designed to help. The problem is that is not the VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICAN WORKERS!
on Aug 10, 2005
I managed to get a job straight out of college with almost no real work experience to speak of. job pays well too.

If new college grads are able to find jobs fairly easily, it's a pretty decent economy (though it could be better, took about half a year to finally find a job)
on Aug 10, 2005
I am glad for you. That is NOT the subject of my Blog. The issue is not the ability to get a job but the inability of the low and middle income workers to affort the higher cost of Housing, healthcare, cars and energy. For example, the impact of the increase in housing costs can be sceen in the creation of 40 Year mortgages and mortgages with interest ONLY for the first ten years and than the payment doubles! Overall, almost ALL the low and the vast majority of middle income workers are worse off then in Jan 2001.

As for job creation, if we have 6 million new workers since Jan 2001 and have created 3 million jobs during that same period, what are the other 3 million workers doing to earn a living?
on Aug 10, 2005

Let me see.  The AVERAGE AMerican, owns a home.  WHich means their wealth just increased 20% for doing absolutely nothing.  Which means they are benefitting.  WHich means Col is wrong again.  Which is not news.

MOve along people, nothing to see here.  Just twisted facts from a twisted mind.

 

on Aug 10, 2005
duplicate
on Aug 10, 2005
Dr Guy

First, the issue is that anyone that does not own a home and wants to purchase one or wants a larger home has found the increase in the cost has out paced their income. The increase in the value of homes owned is only realized upon their sale and then where does the person live? If they buy an new home the gain is GONE because of the increase in the cost of the new home they purchase.!


As for the increases in energy and healthcare that is pure added expense that is far in excess if their wage gains. For the low income workers, they have sceen almost NO increase in their take home pay and have the higher energy and health costs.

No, Dr Guy I am CORRECT. The only income group that is doing well is the top bracket. The middle and low income Ameicans are much worse off given the way this economy is growing. We also have added 6 million new workers since Jan 2001 and only 3 million jobs. Many of the 3 million new jobs are paying less then then the jobs that were lost in 2001- 2003 and have fewer benefits! The Bush economic policy is a FAILURE for MOST AMERICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on Aug 10, 2005
If they buy an new home the gain is GONE because of the increase in the cost of the new home they purchase.!


I'm not sure about the rest of the US (though IMO it follows the housing market here), I am preparing to sell my Condo and purchase a new built home. The difference between the sale price of my Condo and the purchase price of the new home has kept pace together for the last two years. i.e. I will be paying the same difference now then what I would have paid two years ago. This is in a market that has jumped 24% last year alone. I know what I am talking about because I have been waiting on a list for nearly a year and a half. I was scared about the rising new home cost until I notice that rising sale price of other homes near by.

As for new home owners I only have to say, buy a condo or apply for one of the many State fair housing programs. That's becoming almost standard here for locals that fall into the lower income brackets. It’s the blasted California Refugees, running from that socialist state raising prices here. Apartment complexes around here are also going condo for a fair price too.

Also one last thing, the rising prices of homes and oil really would have happened even if Gore or Kerry would have been elected. If you could just please tell me just what either Gore or Kerry had promised that would have changed the shortage of oil refiners and home prices?

As for the oil prices, most of the high cost is due to the limited amount of refineries. Something that only the relaxation of EPA regs. would have fixed. Something that neither Gore nor Kerry could ever even think of changing with a large portion of their political base being Eco nuts.Iraqi Oil production has risien from a 1.32Mil to this last Aprils 1.83Mil. The World oil production has increase by almost 5Mil. Link What did Bill Clinton do to increase oil production…… Raise the EPA restrictions for drilling oil in the US and surrounding waters. What was Kerry’s idea for High energy prices “I will invest larger amounts of money into renewable energies. Then work with our fine allies by placing more pressure on them to raise oil production limits.” Get a clue Kerry, because you also stated that you would return to surplus spending (with the largest increase in spending ever) and our allies are already pumping at max capacity.

For the home prices.....? I have got to here your reasoning for Bush policies affecting this.
on Aug 10, 2005
Well, I have lots of gripes about the way Bush does things...but...

Thank you Mr. President, for my husband's last raise and the one coming up in the winter, and thank you for the over $5K tax return as well.

on Aug 10, 2005
There are some people that are doing well. The truth is that the majority are NOT. The low income worker and most of the middle income Americans have not done well with the current economic policy that favors big business and high income Americans.

The reason that the demand for gasoline is so high is because we did not require car makers to produce efficient cars. Bush talks about conservation and refuses to address the biggest wast of oil- SUV's and low mileage cars!
I did not see any large tax saving from the Bush Tax Cuts since I have no children under 18 and elimination of the marriage penality does not apply because we are retired. The dividens I receive are in my TSA's which were not taxed BEFOR the Bush tax cuts. Our tax saving was about $400.
on Aug 10, 2005
ColGene: I respect that you are so passionate about all this, but really...

Do you see Bush as all powerful? Is he responsible for the success or failure of every single American? People are tough...we are resiliant...unless he's deliberately and directly ruining people's financial security, why not just realize that we can overcome adversity?
on Aug 10, 2005
The impact of things like the tax and fiscal policy Bush has pushed through congress will have a vast impact on every sector of our economy for decades. The added interest we will be obligated to pay on the increase in the Nastional Debt alone that is due to the Bush tax and spending will be off the charts. We will see an increase in the interest of $200 Billion EVERY YEAR from the added debt his policies have created. We have paid about $5 trillion in interest friom 1981 to 2004 in the added interest that resulted from the Reagan economic policy. The worst part is that we are still paying that added interest and will until we repay the debt. Bush wants to cut the annual deficit in half- That does not stop adding to the debt nor repay the $10 Trillion that we will owe by the end of his term.

He is not all powerful but his policies will haunt us for decades to come.
on Aug 10, 2005
First, the issue is that anyone that does not own a home and wants to purchase one or wants a larger home has found the increase in the cost has out paced their income. The increase in the value of homes owned is only realized upon their sale and then where does the person live? If they buy an new home the gain is GONE because of the increase in the cost of the new home they purchase.!


Bull puckey! I just bought my home 2 yrs ago. and what your saying just ain't so.


There are some people that are doing well. The truth is that the majority are NOT. The low income worker and most of the middle income Americans have not done well with the current economic policy that favors big business and high income Americans.


More bull puckey. I am not/ never have been anything but lower class. And just from my stand point, your wrong.
on Aug 10, 2005
Well col what have you to say now? This is from MSNBC:
Sorry terp.



Updated: 2:14 p.m. ET Aug. 10, 2005
WASHINGTON - The U.S. posted a smaller than expected $52.79 billion budget deficit in July as revenues swelled, a Treasury Department report showed Wednesday.

Wall Street analysts had expected the government to post a $57 billion budget gap in July, following a $69.16 billion deficit in the same month in 2004.

In its monthly budget statement, the Treasury Department said government receipts rose to $142.09 billion in July — a record high for the month — compared to $134.42 billion in July last year. Outlays fell to $194.88 billion from $203.58 billion in July 2004.

For the fiscal year to date, the government has recorded a cumulative $302.59 billion budget deficit, well below the $396.32 billion gap it recorded in the first 10 months of fiscal 2004, which ended Sept. 30.


Link
on Aug 10, 2005
Trolling again as usual is the Col.

Meanwhile, I'll stop in and ask Which Average Americans the C.O.L. is referring to? The ones in Canada? In Mexico? Peru? Brazil? Argentina? Colombia? Those Average Americans?

U.S.A. is the proper term. U.S. citizens also a proper term. Americans? Anyone living in North America or South America could be referenced by the label.


Considering how "off" the C.O.L. is on that label alone, why bother with the rest of the crap, which is just repeat number #79 of rants #44 and #63 combined. Same old crap, same old tired articles by same old tired bs publishing author. Again, I wish that people would remind themselves to just ignore the bait. It's rotten, and it does nothing but humor the fisherman when he's trolling for more discussion. Let the articles die the horrible quiet death they deserve.
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