80% of Americans Say They are Not Better Off Now Than 4 Years Ago

New York Times Poll

The Economic Collapse Blog

Are you better off today than you were four years ago? If not, then you are just like most other Americans. According to a CBS News/New York Times poll that was released a few days ago, 80 percent of Americans say that their financial situation is not "better today" than it was four years ago. But if you turn on the television and listen to what the "pundits" are saying, you would be tempted to think that we were in the midst of a robust economic recovery. You would be tempted to think that the U.S. economy is in great shape and that we are heading for a really bright future. But the fact that the stock market is soaring does not mean much to most Americans. In fact, most Americans couldn't care less that the Dow is well above 13,000 and that the NASDAQ is above 3,000. What most Americans care about is having a job and being able to provide for their families. If you haven't paid the mortgage in three months or if you don't have enough money to take your daughter to go see the doctor it really is not going to matter to you how well the boys and girls over on Wall Street are doing. Right now most American families are doing worse than they were doing four years ago, and no amount of media hype is going to change that fact.

You Tube of Ronald Reagans Speech

are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were four years ago?

30 years ago Ronald Reagan asked ... Are you better off now than you were four years ago?
Well Americans ... are you?
According to the (left wing) New York Times Poll ... you are not.
I have to agree with that. We are definately losing ground here ...
Losing ground financially and losing freedoms ..
Do you agree or disagree with the results?
Anything we can do about it? Comments?

I am better off than 4 years ago. Much better at that...

reply to post by FlyersFan


Well UH DUH!!! YA THINK???? LOL, But I have to agree. Finally found some work, in a plant that boxes tomatoes as a grader for minimum wage.... for those of you who say Americans won't do certain jobs and feel entitled. I also have to do this being abandoned by my children's father who supported us because he was working, with three kids and with no home, having the electric shut off and having almost a nervous breakdown that interfered with me finishing two courses in school which I now have to repeat. I decided to go full on republican and may kill myself if Obama wins the election cause I just can't bear another 4 years of this crap. By all accounts and everyone's advice, I am eligable for the state/federal help, but I REFUSE to take it....I want the programs ended I want work not handouts and I think that the only excuse not to work is being severely disabled. I been through hell, I can do something I don't ever want to hear someone else tell me they can't and they need to live off the money I made breaking my ass barely helping me support my children! I am so fed up. I swear, I have reached my breaking point with these handouts.

reply to post by ldyserenity


Ahhh, so you think Romney will make it all better??

Originally posted by ldyserenity
Finally found some work, in a plant that boxes tomatoes as a grader ...

I"m very glad you found some work. It's hard for many people to be able to do that these days.
Sounds like it took a while for you. But something finally came through ...
And I'm very sorry to hear of your difficulties. But you sound like a strong person.

Originally posted by Hydroman
reply to post by ldyserenity

 

Ahhh, so you think Romney will make it all better??

He couldn't make it any worse.

Wouldnt a real income / time chart more suitable than a questionary?

Originally posted by CriticalCK
Wouldnt a real income / time chart more suitable than a questionary?

ABSOLUTELY...the funny thing about war (which we still have going) It's supposed to create jobs. Well in this recession, it's been an epic fail....maybe they need to try something different?

Originally posted by ldyserenity
He couldn't make it any worse.

You don't think war with Iran would be worse?

well I cant help but think if there was a larger war that America gets dragged into or jumps straight in on, the result for America would be what Britain had at the end of the second world war.

Britain went into WWII an empire and came out of it broke and the empire breaking up.

As for the OP questions, that question would not be asked here as there are so many people struggling just to make ends meet.
It wasnt that way four years ago.
If fuel prices continue to climb, it won't have to go up by much more before there is a huge glut of people abandoning driving.

Then the government will get even less money back from car drivers.

Originally posted by Hydroman
I am better off than 4 years ago. Much better at that...

I was thinking the same thing myself, but I do live in a lower cost area, my house is inexpensive and I don't drive a big ass car. The average mortgage is 1,687 from what i've researched. That's almost 4 times what I pay, so I can understand why most people are hurting. Average rent is 980 too from what I hear.

Rent is too damn high.

i am still fairly young (late 20s...) so 4 years ago i was early 20s, meaning i was struggling like most. now, i am doing better but not an account of the economy...on account of my maturity level having risen (if even by only a few millimeters ).

but the average american...the people i have known for years...people who used to be prosperous, people who used to be middle class...they have all fallen upon harder times over the past 4 years.

it's all design. TPTB want the system to crash. the gov't and corporations are all buddy buddy...let the system crash and let everyone end up unemployed and then we will all scream for assistance and then they can usher in their volunteer work...volunteer sooo many hours a week for this company and we'll give you so much a week in gov't benefits.

i mean...perfect way to enslave the masses! take away everything they have, slowly...and then let it crash and then offer them a way out...gov't "jobs". corps save tons of money on labor and line the pockets of the gov't officials. all a back-scratching game.

long and short of it: america, financially, is nowhere near better than it was 4 years ago.

Originally posted by ldyserenity

Originally posted by Hydroman
reply to post by ldyserenity

 

Ahhh, so you think Romney will make it all better??

He couldn't make it any worse.

That is where you are wrong and this is where so many voters make a mistake.

People said the same thing about Obama. "He can't be worse than Bush". Well guess what?? Weather he is worse than Bush or the same as Bush is really not up for debate anymore. If you really believe Romney can not be worse, I don't know what to tell you. I have to wonder when voters will finally pull their heads out of their backsides and take a closer look around them.

Originally posted by ICEKOHLD
but the average american...the people i have known for years...people who used to be prosperous, people who used to be middle class...they have all fallen upon harder times over the past 4 years.

I'm the opposite. Most people I know are doing better. I do have one uncle who is doing worse, but that's because he's an alcoholic and drug user who got himself into the predicament he's in now. He could have been playing major league baseball right now but threw it all away.

Originally posted by Hydroman

Originally posted by ldyserenity
He couldn't make it any worse.

You don't think war with Iran would be worse?

You don't think Obama would take us to war with Iran? Why not?
Mr. Peace Prize has already bombed more countries in his first 3 years than
Bush43 did in his eight years as POTUS.

The reality is that the situation is not going to better in fact I would describe America and the Global Economy rotting from the inside.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
You don't think Obama would take us to war with Iran? Why not?
Mr. Peace Prize has already bombed more countries in his first 3 years than
Bush43 did in his eight years as POTUS.

I don't know if he will or not, but I DO know Romney WILL, as he stated himself. I also DO know that our soldiers in Iraq have been withdrawn.

Secondly, which president spent the most money doing the bombing?

And finally, I'm not saying that I love Obama. I don't think any of them are any good.

Originally posted by Hydroman

Originally posted by ldyserenity
He couldn't make it any worse.

You don't think war with Iran would be worse?

See my above post, and secondly, I think that Romney might be more inclined to listen to the people one thing with Obambass is he has deaf ears to the majority of this nation.

reply to post by ldyserenity


What makes you think Romney will listen to the people? You know, when these guys hit the campaign trail...they tell you what they think you want to hear to get your vote....right? They're all the same. If you don't see this.....

We've managed to keep our jobs throughout this recession, but we're most definitely not better off than 4 years ago. I'd say we're a little bit worse for the wear, mainly due to a lack of raises. But we're holding our own which is more than I can say for many of our friends and relatives. Some are in very dire straits.