Are you better off now than you were four years ago?

[Max4Congress]

The question isn't "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?", it's "Who is better off now than they were four years ago?". I think we know the answer to that one. The Obama administration has been living under the economic policies set in place by the Bush administration. That's where we need the "Change".

Max Martin
Democratic Candidate
U.S. Congress, Texas 36th District

Oh my! Well, at least I got response on this thread. That more than I can say for my post "President Obama's Record", at http://www.democraticunderground.com/125134963. "The idea of this comment was to draw attention to the fact that we are still operating under the economics of the Bush administration and that it's the rich who are doing better. But what I have found out is that the great majority of you are doing better. I know I am. 3 1/2 years ago my small business was loosing $60,000/year and not it's turning a small profit and paying off debt. So, when the GOP asks the question "Are you better off today, than you were 4 years ago", you need to stand up and say "Yes". We also need to work hard to rescind the Bush tax cuts, eliminate the capital gains tax scam and do away with futures trading of commodities.

[elleng]

1. Running as a Dem and sounding as if you oppose President Obama?

Likely to succeed in Texas?
How about running against repug Congress???
If I misunderstood your post, and if its your 'frame,' I suggest you modify it.

[earthside]

2. Not me.

My family and I are not better off than we were four years ago.

And, the answer to the question "who is better off now ..." just makes me angry.

Sorry to say that lack of prosecutions of the Wall Street thieving bankers; the renewal of the Bush tax cuts; no 'public option' or single-payer health care; the JOBS Act; the Senate filibuster rule; no busting-up of the big banks; so and and so forth -- well, let's not talk about "change" like we did four years go -- that's for sure.

Rmoney and the Repuglicans have certainly not presented themselves to the American people as any kind of alternative to Pres. Obama ... but Obama has got his work cut out for him to get reelected, in my estimation.

As for Democrats running for the U.S. House and Senate this year --- time to talk about 'change' in the way we really need it: single-payer; bust-up them banks; cut the Pentagon; get us out of Afghanistan; etc.

[Max4Congress]

23. That's what I'm talking about.

The whole idea of the statement is that the recession is still here for 50% of the country. Those who benefited from the Bush tax cuts and the capital gains tax shelters are making out great. Also those who are employed by the monopolized energy, insurance, financial and medical industries are doing OK and the remaining 50% of our citizens are either living off of minimum wage jobs or no job at all. As a Democrat running for the US House this year --- I'm for single-payer; bust up the banks; cut the Pentagon; get us out of Afghanistan; strengthen the EPA; tax capital gains at the same rate as earned income; set into place a road to citizenship for the undocumented; increase the minimum wage to $10/hr for instate businesses, $14.50/hr for multi-state businesses and an additional $5/hr for businesses that sell foreign made products; strengthen right to organize laws; do away with government's testing in our schools and leave it up to teachers to test and eliminate futures trading of commodities. Does that sound like a Democrat running as anything other than a Democrat?

[marybourg]

3. Yes.

[Yavin4]

4. Yes.

Last edited Mon May 7, 2012, 07:42 PM - Edit history (1)

I am doing far better than I was 4 years ago. I was unemployed at this time in 2008. I've been employed since 2010, and I make more than when I was employed during the Bush years. Far more.

[Inspired]

5. Yes

But many of my friends haven't been so fortunate.

[discocrisco01]

6. No

nO,

I am not. But it is my own fault. I got DUI and I going to reap the consequences.

[bigwillq]

7. No change

About the same.

[FreakinDJ]

8. Definitly WORSE

[SteveG]

9. Yes

My wife who was laid off in 2007, was able to qualify for a Labor Dept. program for workers in diminishing fields. She has gotten an Associates degree out of it, and for the most part was employed part time by the college she was attending. She graduates on the 15th.
We may not make as much as we did, but we are in better financial condition, and my lady has had the opportunity to get the education she always wanted. She will graduate, Magna Cum Laude.

[Max4Congress]

25. Way to go!

You folks are what this country is all about. I've written several times about how we as a people will fight our way back. I'm in this fight to make sure the wealthy who now control our government get out of our way. It's not the government that's slowing down the recovery, it's the boardrooms of the capitalist who have purchased our representation. We need to turn off Fox News and start making our own decisions. It starts with our Congressional representation. I'm the only Democrat running for US Congress in the Texas 36th District against 12 Republicans. Most think it's a lost cause in Southeast Texas. All of the GOP candidates will sign a contract to do whatever Grover Norquist tells them to do and they'll stand behind Eric Cantor to vote against the strength of the American People to govern themselves. They say they don't want government to tell them what they should do. I tell them, I don't want the boardrooms of the Capitalist to tell me what I can do.

[Historic NY]

10. Actually yes.

[Marrah_G]

11. No- I am far worse off

Editting to add that I don't blame the President for it as much as I blame Congress, the previous administrations and big corporations/wallstreet.

[grantcart]

12. So you think that you can build a coalition and get to Congress by bashing Democrats.

Interesting theory.

[Max4Congress]

27. I think you miss the point

The idea of the question is to make those who here the Right say "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago" think, not the 99%. But, it's not because of Obama's policies. This is becoming one of the themes for the upcoming general. My thought is that the wealthy are the ones who are going better because Bush economic is still in effect. We need to let the Bush tax cuts expire, eliminate the capital gains tax scam and do away with futures trading of commodities.

[Max4Congress]

28. Do you really think I'm bashing Democrat?

This is an answer to the GOP's theme of "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago". Everyone knows we are still under the Bush economic policies. Under those policies it's Mitt Romney who's doing better, it's Rich Kinder who's doing better, It's the entire Forbes 500 list that's doing better and it's not the 99% who's doing better. The "Change" is the GOP controlled Congress and the bought and paid for politicians I fight on a daily basis. Perhaps I should have expanded on my comment.

[grantcart]

35. Your initial OP was ambiguous at best and it seemed to indicate that you thought

Obama was carrying out the same Bush policies, which would be odd given that the Republicans have fought so desperately against all of his policies from the stimulus, the Consumer Protection Agency, Saving the Auto Industry and the AHCA.

Your edit makes it clearer although your link is broken so its not as clear as you might think it is.

My answer is I am doing a lot better, back to hiring, and now I will be able to get health care coverage after having been denied for frivolous reasons.

Of course the top investment class has done better but so has everyone who had a 401k, which I didn't before but will now be able to start.

[Max4Congress]

36. That's great!

It's stories like yours that we need to speak up at let everyone know about.

[frazzled]

13. The country is sure better off than it was 4 years ago

8 years of moving in the wrong direction; 3 1/2 now of moving back in the right direction. It will take another 4 1/2 years to finish the job.

And yes, I personally am better off. But that is irrelevant. The important thing is we now live in a country that does not condone torture, in which gay men and women are allowed to serve openly in the military, in which people will no longer be able to be kicked off their insurance when they're sick, in which women may bring suit at any time when they discover they've been discriminated against in pay. The list can go on and on. And, oh yes, we're better off than we were four years ago.

[Max4Congress]

29. That's what I'm talking about.

That's exactly what I've been saying. Take a look at my recent post, "President Obama's Record".
http://www.democraticunderground.com/125134963

[RegieRocker]

14. Yes

[Ikonoklast]

15. Glad that I get to vote for actual Democrats here in Ohio.

Good luck with the bashing, however.

The Teabaggers eat that shit up.

[Max4Congress]

30. This comment is not bashing Democrats, it's bashing Bush economics

Last edited Mon May 7, 2012, 08:49 PM - Edit history (1)

Come on, think. It's the rich who's doing better, not because of the Obama administration but because of the existing Bush economic policies. Mitt Romney wants to double down on those policies and for the 50% of the country that's not doing better, we need to point that out.

[timlot]

16. Nope

But, I can't blame anyone but myself.

[Max4Congress]

31. I'm not so sure

Perhaps, if the economy was where it should be, you would not have to blame yourself. The fact your in this forum tells me you'll make it.

[Johnny Rico]

17. Financially, certainly...because I've chose to be more responsible and put as much of my income into

savings and hard assets as possible.

[emilyg]

18. Much worse.

[Max4Congress]

32. Your not much worse because of the Democrats

Emily: A Democratic President has only been in office 3 1/2 years in the last decade. During the first two years, the Democratic strength in Congress wasn't sufficient enough to reject the filibuster. The fact that President Obama was able to avoid the great depression of 2009 is a miracle. If we all ban together and run the big business paid politicians out of Washington, we will turn this mess around.

[Alexander]

19. Yes.

In just about every possible way.

[all american girl]

20. Yes

My husband won't be going to Iraq again. Yeah!!!!

[HopeHoops]

21. Yes

[Arkana]

22. I am, thanks--and I think you should take a good long look at what happens

if the President doesn't win in November.

[Max4Congress]

33. Stand up and tell people

We need to all stand up and tell people, Yes, I am doing better. That's what the general public needs to hear when the GOP asks this question. Don't be silent, be Proud!

[apnu]

24. About the same.

Income levels haven't changed much but we managed to pay off a couple of loans and have more cash per paycheck. Granted, none of that has anything to do with the state of the economy or the policies of either party.

But hey, its not worse so yay for Obama!

[Coyote_Bandit]

26. No way in hell am I better off than I was 4 years ago

I'm considerably worse off - and have no prospect of that changing in the forseeable future. I am one of our nations throwaways. My only priority at this point is the welfare of myself and my family.

[Max4Congress]

34. You need to fight hard for the Democratic Party

You and your family are the one's we are fighting for every day. The GOP wants to cut you loose and let you go under. There's two tunnels in front of us. The "Tea Party" tunnel on the Right and the Democratic tunnel on the Left. The only one with light at the end of it is the one on the Left.

[Digit]

37. Much worse

My income went from $45,000 w/health benefits to a current $14,200 without benefits.

I plan to work the phone banks for Obama once again as the alternative is too horrible to consider.

[dmallind]

38. Marginally - but only idiots vote based on the vagaries of individual experience.

My income nigh-tripled under Bush 2, and in the later years I even benefitted from higher (not the highest) bracket tax cuts. I still do, and while I'm slightly better off now under Obama it came with a total of 15mos unemployment too, so I could take it either way.

Luckily, my own personal situation is pretty near immaterial to my view of national politics, as a) Presidents don't have much to do with it and b) even if they did the aggregate economy is far more important. I'm no altruist; I want to live comfortably and improve my lot in life wherever possible, but I'd rather pay higher taxes and have a better more equable economy, even for my own sake regardless of empathy.

[tnvoter]

39. hell yes.

as a minority and a single mom, I can say my family and I are better off than we were four years ago - not just economically now, but also in our prospects going forward when it comes to education/opportunity for my kids.

[bemildred]

40. Yes, much. nt

[Jennicut]

41. I am doing a bit better.

But never had any issues to begin with financially. My husband has gotten some raises and I work now after going back to school (and the kids are in school all day now, they were really young 4 years ago). But really, nothing will stop me for voting for Obama against Romney.

[CBHagman]

42. The answer would have to address the question of the long-term changes in the cost of living.

For instance, housing costs went up dramatically after 2001 (and no, not everyone profited from the increase in home values; in fact some were shut out of the market).

Then there are the costs of food, fuel, transportation, and health insurance coverage. The shifts do not and did not take place overnight, or even in a three- or four-year period.

The same is true of the debt.

So any answers would be relative, not absolute,

[Daniel537]

43. No.

It was bad then and its still bad now.

[rppper]

44. yes, but.....

i have retrained for a medical field job at 43, and have been at a large practice with good pay, great benefits and ill be getting married next year...my fiance however, lost her job 16 months ago and has been unable to find employment yet...she is a book keeper and executive secretary skilled, but there is nothing to be found thus far......

[fadedrose]

45. NO!

[andlor]

46. No.