What 2 Years Have Wrought
Below is data on the impact the policies of Barack Obama have had on the lives of Americans. Read it and weep.
H/T to Tom & Dave
January 2009 | Current | % chg | Source | |
Avg. retail price/gallon gas in U.S. (regular conventional) | $1.83 | $3.104 | 69.6% | 1 |
Selected Commodities: | ||||
Crude oil, European Brent (barrel) | $43.48 | $99.02 | 127.7% | 2 |
Crude oil, West TX Inter. (barrel) | $38.74 | $91.38 | 135.9% | 2 |
Natural gas, Henry Hub, $ per MMbtu | $4.85 | $4.48 | -7.6% | 2 |
Gold: London (per troy oz.) | $853.25 | $1,369.50 | 60.5% | 2 |
Corn, No.2 yellow, Central IL | $3.56 | $6.33 | 78.1% | 2 |
Soybeans, No. 1 yellow, IL | $9.66 | $13.75 | 42.3% | 2 |
Sugar, cane, raw, world, lb. fob | $13.37 | $35.39 | 164.7% | 2 |
Consumer Price Index (for all urban consumers) | 211.1 | 219.2 | 3.8% | 3 |
Producer Price Index: finished goods | 170.3 | 183.0 | 7.5% | 3 |
Producer Price Index: all commodities | 171.0 | 189.9 | 11.1% | 3 |
Unemployment rate, non-farm, overall | 7.6% | 9.4% | 23.7% | 3 |
Unemployment rate, blacks | 12.6% | 15.8% | 25.4% | 3 |
Number of unemployed | 11,616,000 | 14,485,000 | 24.7% | 3 |
Number of fed. employees, ex. uniformed military (curr = 12/10 prelim) | 2,779,000 | 2,840,000 | 2.2% | 3 |
Real median household income (2008 vs 2009) | $50,112 | $49,777 | -0.7% | 4 |
Number of food stamp recipients (curr = 10/10) | 31,983,716 | 43,200,878 | 35.1% | 5 |
Number of unemployment benefit recipients (curr = 12/10) | 7,526,598 | 9,193,838 | 22.2% | 6 |
Number of long-term unemployed, in millions | 2.6 | 6.4 | 146.2% | 3 |
Poverty rate, individuals (2008 vs 2009) | 13.2% | 14.3% | 8.3% | 4 |
People in poverty in U.S. , in millions (2008 vs 2009) | 39.8 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 4 |
House price index (current = Q3 2010) | 198.7 | 192.7 | -3.0% | 7 |
S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index: 20 city composite (curr = 10/10) | 146.4 | 145.3 | -0.8% | 8 |
Number of properties subject of foreclosure filings, in millions | 2.82 | 2.87 | 1.7% | 9 |
DJIA (12,403 on 6/3/08, date BHO clinched Dem. nomination) | 7,949 | 11,825 | 48.8% | 2 |
NASDAQ (2,480 on 6/3/08) | 1,441 | 2,725 | 89.1% | 2 |
S&P 500 (1,378 on 6/3/08) | 805 | 1,282 | 59.2% | 2 |
Global Dow | 1,356 | 2,153 | 58.8% | 2 |
U.S. rank in Economic Freedom World Rankings | 5 | 9 | n/a | 10 |
Consumer Confidence Index (curr = 12/10) | 37.7 | 52.5 | 39.3% | 11 |
Present Situation Index (curr = 12/10) | 29.9 | 23.5 | -21.4% | 11 |
Failed banks (curr = 2010 + 2011 to date) | 140 | 164 | 17.1% | 12 |
U.S. dollar versus Japanese yen exchange rate | 89.76 | 82.03 | -8.6% | 2 |
U.S. money supply, M1, in billions (curr = 12/10 preliminary) | 1,575.1 | 1,865.7 | 18.4% | 13 |
U.S. money supply, M2, in billions (curr = 12/10 preliminary) | 8,310.9 | 8,852.3 | 6.5% | 13 |
National debt, in trillions | $10.627 | $14.052 | 32.2% | 14 |
Sources: | ||||
1 – U.S. Energy Information Admin. | ||||
2 – Wall Street Journal | ||||
3 – Bureau of Labor Statistics | ||||
4 – Census Bureau | ||||
5 – USDA | ||||
6 – U.S. Dept. of Labor | ||||
7 – FHFA | ||||
8 – Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller | ||||
9 – RealtyTrac | ||||
10 – Heritage Foundation and WSJ | ||||
11 – The Conference Board | ||||
12 – FDIC | ||||
13 – Federal Reserve |
Hi Bob,
And due to individual circumstances many of us may be worse off than the figures above state.
Bob A.
Leading the country from 5th to 9th in world economic freedom rankings in only 2 years is quite an accomplishment.
There is also Obama’s disastrous foreign policy. In relation to the Egypt situation I mentioned his cack-handed interventions (Reflections on the Revolution in Egypt).
Oh, thanks ever so for the plug below. 🙂
I read your essay earlier, ANA. Couldn’t agree more. Here’s the link for the benefit of others.
he has accomplished one thing in my mind, he has replaced Jimmy Carter as the worst president in history, and it only took two years…….
Bo,
Linked these numbers over at my place…
Thanks,
GA
Hey GA. One thing I bet’s improved under the reign of Obama is the sale of hundred-proof whiskey…