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Are You (Personally) Better Off Than You Were When Obama Took Office?

Are you personally better off than you were when Obama took office?

  • Total voters
    37
Cameron

Cameron

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Simple yes or no question for posters, echoing the famous question posed by Reagan decades ago.

For many reasons, some directly related to Obama's policies, others only very tangentially so, I can say that I am. I am older, wiser, better educated, have embarked upon a wonderful 3-year relationship, have a better job, am better able to transfer jobs if I want, have more money than I did, am living in a much nicer apartment, have more legal rights as a member of the LGBT community and feel more comfortable and prouder being who I am, and am less worried about the future.

To a certain extent, this obviously oversimplifies the issue. People could be doing well because of what Republicans stopped Obama from doing. People could have done even better under a Republican president.

And for people who are doing worse, they could be doing worse because of what Republicans stopped Obama from doing, or they could have done even worse under a Republican president.

Or people could be doing better or worse for reasons largely unrelated to federal policy.

But for what it's worth, how are you personally doing?
 
No. My income is essentially the same, but the cost of living has risen. I'm not destitute by any means, but I'm certainly not better off.
 
All things considered, yeah, I'm better off.
 
I am better off but I refuse to give Obama any credit for it because it is directly related to my decisions. Broccoli Obama didn't build that.
 
We are much better off for many reasons. Again: Seven years ago we had a opportunity to move to MI. Sold our house in AZ near the peak and bought one in MI that was already depressed in price. The timing was almost perfect. Our investments have been doing well. We just bought a 3rd house in Phoenix that has gone up in price more than 30% in a few months. Our 2nd house in the Phoenix area has gone up about 30% in 2 years, most of the increase in the past 6 months. We have just found a finical advisor that should do better than what we have been doing. We are both retired now and play a lot. And the city, Grand Rapids MI, is doing very well now compared to about 4 years ago. There are lots of new businesses and buildings in downtown Grand Rapids. The business that supplied all the car companies survived due to the rescue and their parking lots are again full.
 
Well, I'm worse off, but I'm not sure I can really blame the Obama administration for me going insane and becoming homeless.

My life is going to get a Hell of a lot better this year, and I certainly don't plan on crediting the administration with it.
 
Viktyr Gehrig said:
Well, I'm worse off, but I'm not sure I can really blame the Obama administration for me going insane and becoming homeless.

My life is going to get a Hell of a lot better this year, and I certainly don't plan on crediting the administration with it.
Click to expand...

I don't blame Obama for the fact that I am not better off, but I certainly do believe he has been wholly responsible for not instituting policies which encourage and allow economic recovery and growth at a healthier rate than has happened. The president is not responsible for the economy, but his policies do have an effect on the economic atmosphere and mood of the nation, and what I have seen is evidence of a president who wants to control business, rather than let it create and grow as is the nature of business in a capitalistic society.
 
Krhazy said:
Simple yes or no question for posters, echoing the famous question posed by Reagan decades ago.

For many reasons, some directly related to Obama's policies, others only very tangentially so, I can say that I am. I am older, wiser, better educated, have embarked upon a wonderful 3-year relationship, have a better job, am better able to transfer jobs if I want, have more money than I did, am living in a much nicer apartment, have more legal rights as a member of the LGBT community and feel more comfortable and prouder being who I am, and am less worried about the future.

To a certain extent, this obviously oversimplifies the issue. People could be doing well because of what Republicans stopped Obama from doing. People could have done even better under a Republican president.

And for people who are doing worse, they could be doing worse because of what Republicans stopped Obama from doing, or they could have done even worse under a Republican president.

Or people could be doing better or worse for reasons largely unrelated to federal policy.

But for what it's worth, how are you personally doing?
Click to expand...

I'm doing much worse since Obama took office. I virtually retired about five years ago, early by the way...just some part-time real estate that probably costs me more than I earn right now. ;)

I'm a Cash Is King kinda' gal. My cash investments suck wind. If anyone had told me that a certificate of deposit would earn less than 1% in a bank that invests in business/credit card debt/home mortgages, I would've told you you were nutz.

If anyone wants to point to the stock market to show how robust our economy is, I'd tell them that the stock market is being carefully manipulated by the Fed's money policy of near-zero interest rates. The banks not only got bailouts, they're continuing to "get well" on the backs of those who saved for their retirement.

When interest rates rise again, which, ultimately they will, those who invested in it thinking "it was real," are going to be in for a very unpleasant surprise.
 
Ok I voted yes because its true. But not because of whose in office. I think for the most part the economy does what the economy does and wall street is no different. In my case. Utiility bills and food bills continue to go down. My wifes companys is doing very well and the employees are being rewarded for it. (its a european company). Even our medical bills have dropped. So we have finally been able to take care of matters that have needed attention.

I do not believe that the President or Congress except in rare circumstances has any real affect on money. Sure they do bailout and pass taxes and insert regulations, but on the whole looking at the BIG national picture I just don't see it.
 
The middle class has been slipping back since Bill Clinton left office.
 
I am personally better off, but there are only a few things I can name that are a result of the President's actions, otherwise it's mostly because of my own decisions.

I think it's a rather pointless talking point for either Romney or Obama. Everybody lives in different situations and makes different choices, for either side to say whether you're better off or worse off implies that we are more reliant on the President than we actually are.
 
I am much better off, we paid off thousands and thousands dollars of medical bills the last 4 years.
 
Financially I'm certainly better off now than I was when Obama took office. The rest is about a wash I'd say.

Obama has nothing to do with it though.
 
My family, closest friends and I are all doing better BUT I cant attribute that all to Obama. Some of it he or the administration are definitely responsible for though.

ALso just a note, overall this is definitely not the only thing that matters to me, while it is a plus its only part of the equation.
 
Yes, but that really has nothing to do with Obama though.
 
Your Star said:
Yes, but that really has nothing to do with Obama though.
Click to expand...

Are you sure? Because he'll take credit either way.

Moreover, I am sure some people are better off... after all, if they were blacks or handicapped, they got a free phone!
 
I'm living roof. Obama gets the credit.
 
Krhazy said:
But for what it's worth, how are you personally doing?
Click to expand...

Tons better and it has nothing to do with the government one way or the other.
 
Yes, but I was a law student when Obama was elected. Now I have, like, a job and stuff.
 
My income has tripled actually....so yeah I guess I am in a better place.

It is hard to gauge how much the government helped, but I sure as heck know they didn't hinder me. I do find it funny that people blame the government for bad things but dont praise them for good things.
 
yes. right before he was elected, I was informed that I would be let go due to a grant being cut. I was sent out into the lousiest job market imaginable.

soon after, the stimulus passed, and that enabled me to keep my health insurance without going broke. this proved important, because during the months of unemployment, I became ill with a digestive problem that counts as a preexisting condition; a concept that I didn't fully understand at the time. had I dropped the policy, I might have become uninsurable for at least a year. the preexisting condition clause of the PPACA also benefits me, though I think that the bill fell far short of an ideal solution.

also, there's now a massive wind farm outside my town which employs locals and which will make my town an energy town for decades to come.

while my salary hasn't improved and I still have limited job security, I'm better off than I was in january of '09. I don't pretend that Obama knocked on my door and handed me everything, but at least some of it can be linked to policies he promoted.
 
Well without an official count it seems everyone is better off. Is that possible? :roll:
 
I've lost 50lbs. Thanks Obama.
 
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