Are you REALLY? If so, how, in what way? Do you feel more secure financially? Do you have more money left over after you pay your bills, buy groceries and put gas in your car? Are you kids getting a better education? Do those you know who didn't have health insurance 8 years ago have it now? Does everyone you know who had a JOB 8 years ago have one now? Is your local economy chugging right along just fine? Do you feel safer, more secure? Do you feel more secure about your personal rights? Let's discuss all of this and more!
Annie
[question posted by anniepa]responses and comments:
Ok, I do in fact feel that my husband is better now than we were back then. We have gotten our home. He has a better job. I have now found what I want to do for a living. I am fixing to go back to school. My children are learning in school. I feel safer flying. I don't need welfare to help us, not like we could get it any way. I don't like the fuel prices but I do not blame the President for this. Everyone in Washington is to blame. My personal rights are for me and not for everyone. I feel too many people are wanting everything on a silver platter in this country and it just doesn't work that way. Local economy is doing fine. I live in a smaller town and we have several businesses opening up in the area. OUr health insurance will kick in in 3 months. We are starting to be able to save again. [keasling]
Well i am happier now than 8 years ago. 8 years ago I had nothing and thru those 8 years I was in a terribley unhappy marriage.....now I am remarried to a wonderful man and my two boys are seemingly happier also. We have al the things we need less of the wants but also less bills my ex loved his credit cards too much. And now I got a new one one the way so im happier even if money is tighter now. [minnie_98214]
In many ways I am better than I was 8 years ago because I wasn't yet married and didn't have my son. I am happier on a professional level, even though I make less money and work part time instead of a full time professional career. BUT in the ways you discuss, I don't think anyone's life is better unless perhaps their last name is Bush. We're in a war that I don't understand and mourn. We pay more for everything while salaries haven't kept the pace. Our civil liberties and personal rights have eroded and will continue to do so unless somebody changes something FAST. It's really so scary. I still have hope, though. I still try really hard to believe. [tentwo67]
I couldn't agree more!!!! I also have hope..things need to change!!! [rx4life]
I'm worse off now than I was back then, but I'm currently on a better road. I just need to get to the part where it gets better [dmillman]
My situation is worse. I lost a good paying job with great benefits. I now work two jobs, and I am still struggling. The price of gas etc is really hard on my family. I do have health insurance. I have a seasonal job, and they provide insurance even when I am on furlough. I think my problems started three years ago, when I lost my job. I have two more car payments so I am going to have a extra $250.00 a month so the hurt should be less. [venshida]
Annie, even though I lost my job last October, I'm financially better off today than I was in October, and certainly better off than I was eight years ago. I had health insurance that was paid for by my employer, America Online, eight years ago. Today, I pay for it myself. I pay the total premium, true, but I have no co-pays to contend with. Yeah, I had a job eight years ago. Today I have none, though I have the PROMISE of a job. My local economy? It sucks big time! Doesn't YOURS? Still, managing my own affairs I feel I am far better off today than I was eight years ago. Even though the burden is totally on me now, I feel MUCH more secure knowing that I AM in control, not my former employer. America Online (AOL) will probably be spun off or sold in a matter of a few months, and I feel I can do a FAR BETTER job of managing my affairs than they ever did. Sure, it costs big bucks to fill the gas tank; it costs more for my weekly groceries, but yet I feel that *I* can do a better job of managing MY LIFE than AOL ever could. True, I didn't like the idea of losing my job, but since it HAPPENED, I'm glad that *I* am in control, and not a company that didn't give a RAT'S A$$ about my welfare! Who recorded that song "I Will Survive"? I dunno, but believe me, I WILL survive and I'll do it far better than I would have if I were still working for AOL! Memo to self: Depend NOT on ANYONE other than YOU. That way you can NEVER be disappointed. © 2008 RJScott [rjscott]
Yes, I would say we are definately better off than we were 8 yrs ago, for several reasons. 8 yrs ago I was working, we had a car payment and no land. Now we have 9+ acres, our home, land and vehicles are all paid off. We have just a little bit of debt left and are on our way to paying that off as well, even though I am now a stay-at-home-mom. We pay our bills, buy gas and groceries and are even socking some away in the saving besides what my husband puts into his retirement account. I don't know anyone, around me, that is out of a job at this time. Safety, security? Fine here. We're quite happy with the direction we are going. In about 4 yrs we should be able to build our small dream house and be debt free as well. [Irishfrndly65]
In terms of money no I am not better off I am actually worse. But in happiness I am much more happy now than I was then. About 8 years ago i would have been pregnant with my son. Just getting pregnant. The dad bailed as soon as I said I was pregnant, so mentally and emotionally I was a wreck. Thank goodness I always had family who stood by me. 8 years later my son may not know his dad at all but I started dating a guy almost a year ago who is just awesome. It's the only word to use to describe it, awesome. He loves me to death and him and my son have become really close. I have not been this happy in a very long time. Hopefully money will come later, but struggling is ok with me just as long as I am happy. [phillygirl606]
These are scary times to be living in The United States. Never has the majority of the wealth existed with the smallest percentage of Americans. Right now, I am paying for private health insurance to the tidy sum of $850.00 plus the co-pays for all the meds I need. If you think about it, profit driven health care is bizarre. I have to limit the amount of times I drive my Jeep and how far I go. It would be better to have a smaller car, of course, but that's not going to happen right now. The last eight years has been a demonstration on how to bring an economy to its knees. Our president wants us to use the cash rebate checks to buy more things we don't need to stimulate the economy. Most people are using those checks to pay off debts or buy food and clothing. People with expensive or multiple cars and big houses need big money to pay for all that they own. With the gas crisis nipping at our heels, some of these people have to evaluate how much gas they use to get to those high paying jobs. It's almost like sci-fi, with people paying $500 a week or more buying gas for their car. The housing market crashed and people are living in homes they can't afford and owe more than the houses are worth. Other homes are standing empty and forlorn wondering where the family that lived there went. I have learned to minimalize in order to survive. I keep my bills down and make sure more money comes in than what goes out. It's harder with every month that passes. I can't find one area in my life that has prospered in this money driven world. All the money is in all the wrong places and not enough money is directed toward a cleaner environment. What did you see in your review mirror on the way home from work? Did you catch a glimpse of the person you were eight years ago struggling to keep up with who you are today? The big question_ the president is impeachable on at least twenty counts and yet he finished out his eight years of ruination. He believes this war should be the legacy of his presidency and it will, for sure. I wonder what will be written in the history books about what really happened to America. Was there one event that catapulted us into despair? Will it show that one presidency was responsible, or will we see more puppet-masters behind the scenes of destruction? Along with several other freedoms we lost without our knowing_ it's now more difficult than ever to obtain a passport. Are they trying to prevent the rats from escaping the sinking, stinking ship called America? Or do they want us to leave but be unable to return? Maybe the money people want the rats out. Once the majority of us are dispersed, money will pour out from the select few who held it and they will restore enough land to sustain the elite who have prospered in the last eight years. [anawar]
NO WAY. I can't believe how expensive life is. [anawar]
Yes, I am much more financially secure than I was 8 years ago. In the year 2000 I was in a bad way financially, but now I usually still have some money at the end of the month. I live in a nice home, small but nice. I roommate with my daughter and her husband... because neither of us can be alone anymore. We are both disabled.. so we keep each other company.. and that really works out well for us. We do help each other out financially. If I have money and sil doesn't I pay for the gas.. if I need something and they can help they do. I was alone in 2000 and struggling.. and usually not even eating regular food.. I was only eating those dollar banquet meals.. now I can actually buy food and even some clothes now. [OreoCookie3]
In a way I do and in a way I don't. I'm now married, have a house, new cars, a few dogs, cats, and a son. Financially we are about the same, maybe even a bit worse off, now that my wife lost her job. Now when it comes to debt we are actually in alot worse than we were 8 years ago, but then again, I wasn't married 8 years ago. [maliki2]
Yes. I am far far better than what i was in my young age. My thinking style is changed. Accepting thing also changed. Now no one can easily fool e. But when i was a child many are fooled me. [a4aniruddh]
I am definitely better off than I was eight years ago. My life is constantly getting better. I trust God more and I have gotten to know myself a lot better. I am forever growing and being challenged to grow. Life for me is one adventure after another. [Rozie37]
Hello Annie, Yes, Hubby and I are infinitely better off than we were eight years ago! We are personally happier, and are much more financially secure. Yes, we have money left over, after paying the bills. We keep a healthy cash reserve, and forego impulse spending to build our retirement accounts. We no longer have little ones -- she's all grown up, with a family of her own. Though, there is no question that today's public school education is sorely lacking. That, of course, is not a trend relative to the past eight years. Instead, the attack on our educational system began in the 1930s, and has only grown stronger, as the union influence has had a stranglehold effect on the system. Though, to be sure, the fact that discipline is a 'no-no' in today's schools also has much to do with the eductional decline. We both have excellent health insurance, and I am looking to convert my coverage to a Medical Savings Account, because I have coverage through my husband's work as well. Our local economy is considered one of the strongest in the nation. The housing correction is less problematic here than elsewhere -- because fewer people took out Balloons, A.R.M.s and mortgages that were far beyond their reach. Most of our friends, who had jobs 8 years ago, now own their own successful businesses. Do I feel more secure? Well, I live in a border state. A few weeks ago, I drove home to find that 'taggers' had spray-painted our bridge with "Aztlan Reconquista". Suffice it to say, I wasn't thrilled! I would personally feel a heck of a lot more secure if we would actually seal up our porous border. Then, I'd worry less about South American gang members, and 'other than Mexican' terrorists pouring into my state. The recent news account of a south-of-the-border illegal immigrant raping and impregnating an 11 year old girl, is simply intollerable! For the past five years, I have been keeping a tally of the rates of violent crime, as committed by illegal aliens, and it is absolutely staggering! Yes, gas prices are problematic across the board. Though, I drive a sporty V.W., which gets almost 50 miles to the gallon, I still don't like paying 4.20 per gallon (diesel). Perhaps these ridiculous fuel prices will spur Congress to take the necessary actions to open up the spiggots to U.S. oil. Bakkar in the Dakota's and Shale in the Southern Rockies are a very good first step. As for personal rights: As I'm sure you have gleaned by now, I am a Constructionist. I fight for the preservation of our Civil Rights at every necessary turn. Just recently I scored a huge victory in the Albuquerque Court System, as I fought and won a case which violated the U.S. Constitution is the most eggregious sense. Worthy of mention is that I was fighting an unconstitutional program issued by a screaming liberal mayor, and city council, who placed greed over the rights of the citizens! Also worthy of mention is that the fight for the preservation of our rights has been underway since our nations founding. And, it will go on infinitum! There will always be the few who wish to betray the many, for personal gain of power or wealth. This is true, regardless of who occupies the White House. Gee, wasn't it F.D.R. & L.B.J. who supported the military draft? I'd call that one of the most eggregious attacks on personal liberty -- ever! The point is: 'We The People' need to remain diligent and vigilent. We need to take the blinders off and recognize that we must always be on guard, in the face of those who seek great power. While I'm not a fan of President Bush; he hasn't done anything that other Presidents have not also done. In fact, he's done far less than some! Hmmm, wasn't it F.D.R. who illegally attempted to stack the Supreme Court to authorize his illegal programs? Oh, please ... someone please ask me for specifics of how F.D.R tried to do this, and for what reasons!!! I have a boatload of information about how F.D.R. that I'd just love to share! Annie, your allusion to the eight year time frame is sly. I'll give you credit for that. Though, as a great many of the responses to your question indicate, times have progressively gotten better, despite 9/11/2001, the terrorists, and the ravages against US oil independence. This economic downturn pales in comparison to that under the Carter administration, when we had double-digit inflation, double-digit prime-rate interest rates, and double-digit unemployment. [ladyluna]
Hello Guardian, Yes, the same incident. Though, the reason why I took on the fight wasn't because of the speed trap. Instead, it is because the unmanned camera program denies the citizen due process -- the program (instituted by a Liberal Democrat administration) trounces all over the U.S. and State Constitutions. There is no obligation for the prosecutor's office to prove the merit of the charges. In fact, there is no representative from the Prosecutor's office involved at all. From start to finish, the whole program is run by a privately owned corporation and the municipality. Where both can only earn a profit by assuming guilt. This stands in direct contradiction to our Constitution, which presumes innocence until guilt is proven. So, essentially the whole program is a most eggregious violation of our inherent rights. The vehicle is ticketed, rather than a driver. And, the municipality has asserted its illegal right to seize the vehicle, without prosecutorial obligation to the law, to prove that the owner of the vehicle actually committed an offense. Ok, ok, I know that you and I have been over this, though many others have not seen the basis of the arguement. So, I would ask your indulgence. [ladyluna]
yes i'm better off than 8 years ago...8 years ago i was an awful being with nothing but sh*ts in life...i was nothing and couldn't even manage to get to hit the right money to pay all my bills...i don;t have kids but i have a big whole family to support...this time around i have the high paying job in my location...i pay my bills on time and even have lots of cash left..i have savings and i have them all covered health insurance and dental...i am getting our own house (we live on an apartment) and i feel more secure and safe than before...i think i'm better off 8 years ago... [angel_of_charm]
As far as financial security goes (in the way of taxes at least), whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics enlightening. www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html Taxes under Clinton 1999 Taxes under Bush 2008 Single making 30K - tax $8,400 Single making 30K - tax $4,500 Single making 50K - tax $14,000 Single making 50K - tax $12,500 Single making 75K - tax $23,250 Single making 75K - tax $18,750 Married making 60K - tax $16,800 Married making 60K- tax $9,000 Married making 75K - tax $21,000 Married making 75K - tax $18,750 Married making 125K - tax $38,750 Married making 125K - tax $31,250 It is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above think Bush is screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever. If Obama or Hillary are elected, they both say they will repeal the Bush tax cuts and a good portion of the people that fall into the categories above can't wait for it to happen. This is like the movie The Sting with Paul Newman; you scam somebody out of some money and they don't even know what happened. And as for the war, I would rather be at war overseas than have the terrorists bring the battle to us over here. We were attacked. We acted accordingly so as not to be attacked again and be safe in our own country. Plain and simple. The fact that we have not had any terrorist attacks since 9/11 proves that the government is doing their job, and their job is to protect us, not to be some kind of a savior in our lives. I will never look at a president - Bush or anyone else - as a failure because of his lack of government intervention. In fact, that is the kind of leader I feel safest and most free under. You can call me a horrible person, but as republicans, we believe that a government that is limited IS the ultimate act of compassion, just as the founding fathers believed when they founded this country. The only change I would like to see is a return to our roots. I did not feel safe or secure under Clinton at all. He did a couple things that I applauded him for, but for the most part, I was thankful to see him go, and thanked the stars above me that a republican would be in the White House for the next 8 years. I am dreading the eight years we have ahead of us. (Yes, I'm a crazy conservative...) [skydancer]
Hello Annie, The Soviet Union's forward campaign in Afghanistan was largely co-responsible for the fall of the Soviet empire. The Soviet Gov't waged a forward campaign in Afghanistan for just about a decade, and the end result was a disproportionately opium 'hooked' military, an empty treasury, the lowest morale of the the population since before the 1917 Russian Revolution -- an utter and complete dismal disaster!!! Afghanistan is the ONLY place on the planet where no military advance has ever been successful (even Alexander the Great lost his effort in those mountains!). Our military leaders are much too wise to ever suggest that we could win a forward campaign based in Afghanistan. And, quite frankly, I wish the idiots on the left who repeatedly exclaim that 'We never should have gone into Iraq, though we should have waged the war in Afghanistan', would get there heads out of the sand. NO WE SHOULD NOT HAVE EVER INITIATED A FORWARD CAMPAIGN IN AFGHANISTAN. TO DO SO WOULD BE COMPLETE SUICIDE! Now, to the part about why Iraq -- The Gulf War never ended. It was legally only ratcheted down to a "cease-fire". This was done in anticipation that Hussein wouldn't be able to help but once again reach his tentacles outward. Which of course he did. Now here are the real reasons why we ousted Hussein: 1. Proximity to Afghanistan 2. Proximity to Iran 3. Proximity to Syria 4. Accessible military launch platform including air and sea access. 5. Existing hostile situation, with an open-ended cease fire from The Gulf War. 6. Hussein's black-market instigation in the Mid-East, as a result of funds obtained illegally from the "Oil for Food" debacle. 7. Because Hussein was instigating unrest among the P.L.O., as well as al queda, by paying the families of suicide bombers 13k or 25k (depending on what continent the bomber was from). 8. Because Hussein was developing a network of cronies within and outside of the U.N. with whom he could enter into financial agreements -- who were/are ALL CROOKED! That network had to be shut down, by cutting off the head of the snake (Hussein). 9. Last though certainly not least: Because, according to Hussein's government's own documentation, Hussein had hosted high ranking Al Queda operatives in the late 90s through to 2002. Given the FACT that the whole world knew that Hussein had WMD, because he used them on the Northern Kurds, we couldn't take the chance that Hussein was selling anything to Osama bin Ladin. Remember, Hussein had an unquenchable thirst for wealth. No number of palaces was enough. He stole billions through the "Oil for Food" program -- what was to keep him from selling chemical weapons? We already know that he was sympathetic to terrorist tactics, because he was paying the surviving members of suicide bombers' families a reward. Now, I know that this is alot to digest. Though, I will admit that I am getting really tired of the ignorant rants that Iraq is all about oil. I'm really tired of hearing complete idiots suggest that our men and women in uniform should be encamped in Afghanistan. Any idiot who makes that claim either doesn't care what happens to our military personnel, or is quite simply too uninformed to be spouting their mouths off about military strategy. I apologize if this sounds harsh, but by golly the left has been spewing this utter nonsense for years now. Why haven't they stopped to remember recent history? The USSR not only lost the war in Afghanistan, they lost their entire empire as a result of their wasted effort in Afghanistan. Are the left so stupid that they don't realize that no military invasion has ever been successful in Afghanistan? Annie, have you ever stopped to consider the Soviet war in Afghanistan, and how it contributed to the USSR going belly-up? Your comment that we should finish the job in Afghanistan is so far beyond foolish, I don't even know how to label it. And, I'm glad that our military strategists know better! No military in the history of mankind has ever engaged a seven year war, and kept the causualties to the kinds of minimums as we have seen in Iraq. Remember, the USA lost over 6500 men in just the first day on the shores of Normandy during WWII. The leftist blabbermouths who keep claiming that we should not be camped in Iraq, but that we should instead be camped in Afghanistan are the ones who put our men and women in uniform in jeopardy. And, quite frankly, I would appreciate it if you all would either stop blabbering nonsense, or do a little historical research and commit yourselves to the study of successful military strategy! Though, here's the part that's going to sting like the dickens: The Dem-Socialist leadership HATE our military. Don't ask me to provide the annals of quotes and funding efforts the Dem party have waged against our military! It's too voluminous to list here. The Dem-Socialist leadership didn't/don't want our military to win the War on Terror. Pushing for a forward Afghani front perfectly demonstrates this. No one can tell me that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid don't remember that the USSR got its butt kicked over and over again in Afghanistan! Or, that such a large percentage of the Soviet military became heroine addicted because of the horribly low morale, that they were being decommissioned at a shockingly high rate??? So, if Nancy, Harry, & the rest of the Dem-Socialist leadership really wanted the US Military to defeat terrorism, why would they want our military men & women to be in Afghanistan, the only place on the planet where an invading force is historically guaranteed defeat??? [ladyluna]
it may be. as before 8 years i was a student. and for all obvious reasons i was totally dependent on my parents for money. now i am in job. so i think i am better off. but not totally secured financially. i need more time to secure my future. [subha12]
well i think so cause, i learned a lot of things that made me better than yesterday so we are always better than yesterday, but the thing that we must say is "are we better than others?" [millardos]
Annie, My answer to that is a resounding yes! I believe that from what I read here that is a general consensus but I must tell you I don't attribute much if any of that to our government! My government doesn't make my bills just as it doesn't pay them! Me government wasn't responsible for my wife getting laid-off from her job in 2007, AllTell was! The government didn't help my wife start a new business in 2008, we did it on our own! Need I go on? We as a nation need to wake up and realize that our government is in NO WAY responsible for the way we conduct our lives! If you have become a willing victim of the sub-prime mortgage debaucle then it is up to YOU to get yourself out of it not the government! If you didn't read what you signed, that's nobody's fault but your own! As far as my personal rights being secure; I have never felt them more secure! I don't believe my personal phone calls have ever been tapped and listened in on but if I were being contacted for whatever reason by someone with terrorist ties I would welcome the scrutiny because if a terrorist were contacting me it would probably mean I was being coerced or threatened! Don't we all wish someone had intercepted some calls or e-mails of a certain few alQueada pilots before 9/11? In life, the government can't be responsible for everyone's job, healthcare, food, housing and etc! They don't call that a democracy and freedom! No, what that is called is SOCIALISM or COMMUNISM! [rodney850]
Exactly. We decide our bills. We open the credit accounts or take out the loans. It is not the government's job to pay them for us. Here in Florida we have many homes in foreclosure due to the insurance rates. The government didn't tell the insurance companies to a jack them up (actually they have been fighting to get them lowered). It's just big business wanting to be bigger. That is just the way life is. Any time you have natural disasters insurances go up because they feel they have to recoup their losses. That isn't the government's fault. I agree with you that the government cannot be responsible for our lives. It is up to us to do so otherwise we are not independent beings but sheep. We would have a shepherd telling us what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and our lives would not be our own. [emeraldisle]
Am I better off then I was eight years ago? Yes and no but the no part has nothing to do with the administration that is in effect as you try to imply from your discussion. The government did not cause my disabilities. Be kind of nice if they had then I might be able to sue them lol. Education has been a mess for years, long before the current administration. Once the teachers were encouraged to teach the students to pass tests more then they taught the basics education went down hill. I first noticed this happening back in the late 80's but it probably started sooner. It's just gotten worse with each passing year. Also something to remember the US government has very limited control on education. It is up to the individual states to legislate it. That is why we do not have a national standard. As for jobs I had trouble finding them in the 90's just as much as I did in the new century. The cut backs and layoffs have been on going for a long time. If you really need to see evidence of this take a look at some movies that have been out over the years: "Mr. Mom", "Indecent Proposal", "Disclosure", the original "Fun with D ick and Jane" not to mention the remake are just a few that come to mind. These reflect the problems we have had over the last few decades with jobs and the economy and I know there are many others. The only personal rights I've seen really limited have been ones on wearing seat belts, smoking, child seats, and trans fat. Most of these though were started again before the current administration and some have been in effect for many, many years. Not to mention the fact that they are done on the state level, not the federal so again one has to look at their state representatives. Overall I look at my family and I feel we aren't doing too bad. I see many who are worse off; mostly due to their own choices in life or just bad luck in general. It wouldn't have mattered who was in the white house, it would have happened. Our society for years has been building up to crash. We live beyond our means, are in debt up to our eyeballs, keeping up with the Joneses and most live paycheck to paycheck. That is a formula for disaster. It's a house of cards ready to fall but it is our own fault for doing it. [emeraldisle]
Well the yes part is in mostly due to our choices although some things the government has done has helped, like a recent bill to double our homestead. This will lower our house taxes. I do apologize then if you didn't mean to imply it that way. From how it was worded it made it sound like you wanted to hear that the government was to blame for things and that things are worse then they were previously. There have been many things that have happened in the last decade that have been beyond my control and have hurt me both physically and financially just as there are something that happened to turn my life around in good ways. I won't deny that. There are some things I think our government is wrong on but it is not the fault of one person or one administration. As to voting I have never been one to vote just party lines. I look at the candidates and choose whomever I think is most capable of doing the job. They could be any party, any sex or race. I don't care. It's all about if they can do the job. [emeraldisle]
We are, very much so. As a couple we are earning more now than we have ever earned. We own a fairly nice sized house in a nice neighborhood. My FIL who has had several cancer surgeries is healthy and we have helped them move in to the house next door so we can help him and my MIL. My kids are excelling at school and my oldest is starting a private university in the fall. So yes, life is pretty good right now. It is not without challenges though, what life is? We do not always have the money we would like at the end of the month. In fact, sometimes we are short. But that is the nature of my job since I am self employed. We have a renter in our rental house. They often pay late and the mortgage payment has to come out of our family budget. But we anticipated that. If you want to be a landlord you have to be able to absorb that or you shouldn't have rental properties. That simple fact has led to many of the foreclosures we see. Anybody who was able to scrape up enough money to buy an investment home did so. But they were unprepared for the reality of the endeavor. Several people we know are losing their jobs. It is very painful for them and for us, their friends. But it is not entirely unexpected. We just came out of an economic and real estate boom. Some industries grew to fill needs during that time. As those needs diminish, so do the jobs that were created. I am not surprised that the number of mortgage brokers in the country dropped from 475,000 in 2005 to around 200,000 now. We had the same drop in realtors, title agents, appraisers, financial planners, real estate investors, cashiers, servers, etc. etc. These were all jobs created during a boom time. The economy is adjusting. I feel much safer now than I did in late 2001 but not as safe as I felt prior to 9/11. But I guess that is not surprising. I feel increasingly safe but I am still wary since there are still those who want me and my country destroyed. Until that threat is removed, we will never feel entirely safe. Our local economy is adjusting. Sure there are more people losing their jobs than a year or so ago, but the paper is FILLED with job opportunities. There are still LOTS of companies hiring. As I mentioned, it is adjusting. People are going to have to manage their careers. For the last many years steady employment has been assumed. Now we are getting back to a more normalized economy and we all have to adjust. It has always been a given that you have to keep yourself sharp and marketable. People have been negligent in that regard and have been caught unawares. Fortunately for me, I re-evaluate myself and my direction every few months and make changes as needed. I have not been complete unaffected by these adjustments. I have had some very lean months. But I seem to be back on track and am expecting even greater things for the rest of 2008! [Guardian208]
Hello Guardian, I agree that we cannot wholly attribute our personal success or failure to a Presidential administration. However, our politicians do impact our ability to prosper or fail. For example: I laud the Bush administration for Hubby's & my decreased tax burden. This is best demonstrated by your mathematical analysis of the decreased federal income tax percentages due, per income bracket. Paying less to the government means that we have more in our own pockets! I also appreciate the fact that under the Bush administration, the amount of income that we can contribute (tax deferred traditional or tax paid ROTH) to our I.R.A.s has increased. As I understand it, if the Bush tax cuts are rolled back, the IRA contribution amount will also roll back to 2k/annum. This is highly problematic, as one of the greater weaknesses of our economy is the record low levels of personal savings. If more Americans were committed to saving money, then we wouldn't have nearly the personal debt issues that we have in this country. And, our U.S. banks would have more lendable resources, without having to seek those assets from international investors. Comparatively speaking, the Clinton administration's wholesale embrace of 'fuzzy math', as demonstrated by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in their pursuit to alter accounting methodology so as to disguise the economic downturn of the mid to late '90s, having resulted from the Dot.com bubble -- had a very real impact on the average citizen's ability to stay afloat. Specifically, the practice of assigning unrealistic value to intangible assets caused a dramatic rise in the perceived value of tangible assets. This, as I see it, was the beginning of today's 'housing bubble'. To add gasoline to fire; every administration since FDR, who embraced the fiat monetary system, without taking any measure to rebuild tangible assets has directly resulted in the terribly weakened U.S. dollar. This most definitely affects the average citizens ability to prosper, when our buying power overseas has been reduced by approximately 50%. Politicians also bear the responsibility for America's current predicament of decreased discretionary spending resources. Had politicians not interfered with U.S. oil extraction, which is down by approx. 25% from a decade(+) ago, we wouldn't be paying $3.65 - $4.29 per gallon of fuel. As well, the national debt would be much lowered as tax revenue from the oil industry has decreased not only proportionate to the 25%, but by much more as oil extraction and refining would have increased in an effort to meet demand. Moreover, our national debt has grown tremendously because of our heavy reliance on imported oil. Not only by the amount specifically required to rebuild the strategic oil reserve (which the Clinton administration allowed to run dangerously low) but because any area of dependence will be perceived as a weakness, and will be taken advantage of. Which is exactly what has happened. OPEC knows that they have us over a proverbial barrel, and have acted accordingly. Were we not so 'dependent' on purchasing the product that they sell, they would be forced to price their product more competitively. When oil was running around $10/barrel it was specifically because U.S. extraction was at an all-time high. There are many other areas where our elected representatives have an impact on our personal lives: - The 35% corporate tax rate, which has driven jobs overseas. - Congressional embrace of foreign ownership of U.S. tangible assets. Particularly their dismal failure to modernize antiquated mining laws which have allowed foreign corporations to buy up U.S. lands for a few dollars per acre, extract the targeted minerals, then leave the mining mess for the American taxpayer to have to pay to clean up. Gold, silver, aluminum, tin, copper, etc... are all at record high values. How foolish is it that we allow foreign corporations to extract our minerals, then turn around and sell them to us? - The embrace of corrupt U.S. governmental oversight divisions, like the FDA. And the correlative attack on American manufacturers by using CODEX definitions & restrictions -- which cause the small business owner to pay exorbitant legal fees just to remain in business. - The failure to rein in the tort lawyers, and limit bogus lawsuits by enacting a 'loser pays all' requirement to all suits brought before the federal courts. Ours is just about the only nation in the world that does not mandate 'loser pays all'. This is the result of the power that the legal lobby has over all of those attorneys on Capitol Hill! While I agree that no President has a quantifiable impact over our ability to prosper, and where the Congress has much more power in that regard, I also acknowledge your point that 'we' individually have the greatest ability to either succeed or fail. Those who find themselved forced out of a job have the option to make themselves more marketable (as you aptly point out), or have the option to develop and use their expertise in the pursuit of entrepreneurship. Yes, our freedoms do insure that we have more of an ability to be the 'masters of our destiny'. Though, we must also recognize the many areas where our elected representatives have the power to create boatloads of obstacles to our pursuit of happiness. The average citizen not recognizing and understanding the many ways that our representatives have interfered with our ablity to prosper represents a great assault on our way of life. Societal ignorance is so terribly costly!!! [ladyluna]
Hehe! I can not remebmber how I was 8 years ago.blink But I am sure I am better off than that time, for now I can earn enough money to support myself. So I have more freedom than that time. And I can do many things than before. [nini168]
I don't think so. 8 years ago, I had job. I was in the Philippines and I was doing ok. Last year, I migrated here in the US and married my fiance. Now I have no work and don't have money. I have never realized that life here in the US is worse than where I came from. I am trying to apply for a job since I can legally do that now, but still I am worried if I will be able to get the work that I want and if I will be able to help my hubby pay the bills. But still I am hopeful. This is just one of the tough times and will pass. [ruthinian]
We are doing just wonderful.My husband has a great full time job. He is a foreman on a tree trimming crew and works year around. He is employed by the biggest tree company in the United States. He is in the elections union and has great health and dental benefits. We living with in our means paying our house payment and monthly payments on time every month. We both have credit scores of 700 and maintain this by watching our spending and staying with in our means. Paying much more then required each month on a high credit card. Transferring balances to lower interest rates and not using that card until the balance transfer is paid in full. We pay credit card balance off as fast as we can this saves us greatly. We are able to get offers from zero interest to 1.99 for one year. We use these offers when we fell it would be wise and transfer a balance to enjoy little to no interest per month for 12 months. March was the 8 Th year my husband has been with his company. My grandson is graduating from collage on May 10 Th with honors. On May 19 Th he goes to work for a new auto dealership starting out pay $45,000 per year he is 23 years old. My grand daughter graduates May 29 with a 4.0 and headed to collage in the fall majoring in government. My third daughter just finished a 9 month course to become a message therapists she works in a doctors office. My other daughter is in beauty school and will graduate in September. My grand daughter is going to school for the next three years with grants when she is done with her schooling she will be the court system. My son in law is a planerman in a saw mill he has a great family medical and dental plan. My husband and I always have plenty of money left over after paying our monthly house payment and bills. All of our family are middle class hard working people. Our family is doing wonderful and have for the pass 8 years. Everyone we personally know has good jobs and have children in school getting education to also have good jobs. My point of view with some Americans they have far more wants then needs and live outside of their means. For many fun and games come before paying their bills. People bought houses far more costly with adjustable interest rates and now crying the blues because the monthly payments have sky rocketed. Playing that kind of interest game it will sooner or later bite ya on the butt. Others bought rentals and fancy second homes under the same poor business arrangements and now want some one to bale them out of their mess. The American people have lived high on the hog for a very long time. It has came time to pay the fiddler and we hear all this crying the blues. Many of the very poor such as the street people they have choices to make number one is give up the booze and dope. The way to get on one feet is to first get off of ones butt. I live in Oregon seems our economy is holding it's own. But, the wood industry is very slow this is the nature of the wood business up and down. For the poor in the state of Oregon they have the Oregon health plan the poorest of the poor have better medical and dental care then a lot of the working people. Safer,I think personal safety every town/city is very bad and in the inter cities it is awful all across the U.S.A. Far as the national safety we notice since 9/11 we have remained safe seems to tell me someone is doing a dammed good job keeping Americans safe. Our personal rights are being removed one after the other in the United States. All in all our family has done very well the pass 8 years. The big problem is the gas prices they jump higher every day. Oregon is at $3.99 for the cheapest regular gas my husband car pools with four other people to conserve money as well as gas. We work and manage our income and have enough left over to share with people that are in need and we count this a blessing every day. kennyrose [kennyrose]
Financially, I'm treading water. I'm not going under by things aren't geting better either. The Clinton years were good ones for small businesses but the last eight years have been not so hot. Had I started my business in the last eight years, I would have gone under by now. Fortunately, I started about 10 years ago and was able to make my early on mistakes in a more hopeful and forgiving era. I would like to see that atmosphere take hold in this country again. [irisheyes]
Let's see - 8 years ago I was a single mother raising 3 kids by myself. Now when I say by myself - I mean BY MY SELF. My x husband took off so I wasn't getting any child support, I didn't feel the need to ask 'the goverment' to take care of me cause I was working 50+ hours a week as a manager at a restaurant and was doing just fine. I didn't have a car because my x husband took mine and wrecked it right before he left us. So we walked everywhere we went. My baby sitter was 4 blocks from my house and my work was about 4 more blocks from that. We walked a lot. To doctors appointments, the grocery store, which was about 5 blocks away, everywhere. Now, I've met a wonderful man who has given me 2 more beautiful children and has taken on the responsibility of being a father to my first 3 children. We just bought our first house about 1 1/2 years ago - and it's wonderful to have somewhere you can call home - something you know is yours. Something that is big enough for all of us. We recently added the new addition to our family and got a new Beagle pup we rescued from the Human Society. We save money regularly and have enough set back to handle just about any emergency. I am proud to say, about a year ago when my husband had lost his job just 4 months after buying our new house - we didn't have to ask or borrow money from anyone. It took him around 8 weeks to find another job and we still had a nice Christmas and lived comfortably without worry. This makes me feel like the luckiest woman in the world because I've never in my life has the financial security that I do now. My x husband didn't save anything and often over spend and had the electric shut off on us - or even the heat. I know my husband now would never let that happen. Also, I am able to stay home and take care of my babies like I've always wanted to do. We are not rich either. We only have an average income - so don't go thinking we make like $100,000 a year or anything. So yeah, I'm MUCH better off than I was 8 years ago - and it just keeps getting better. [Benjaminna]
That's a lot of questions. As for my personal life I can answer YES to almost everything. As far as the economy goes, well I live in Michigan, that should speak for itself. I am much better off, because 8 years ago I was in a horrible relationship. I was trapped. I am now in a wonderful loving relationship that makes me feel secure even when the world around me seems to be falling apart. Money is tight, especially now that my fiance is laid off. Sure he qualifies for unemployment, but its really not enough. My kids are home-schooled, so their education is just as good now as when it started. Part of the reason I home-school is for lack of faith in the public education system, as I see it digress more and more each year. Many of the people I know have jobs today, however none of them are the same as they were 8 years ago. Many have been laid off, fired, or had the doors of the company close on them. The workforce in our state is crap. The local economy is falling to pieces, and will continue as long as we have a Canadian in the state capitol.(no offense to those Canadians here as many of you are my friends, its a conflict of interest to have a governor from the country we border running our state.) I feel less and less safe in our world as the time goes on. This is not going to get better, it is going to continue to get worse no matter who is on control. But my family is strong and we will survive what ever comes our way. Anything else? [edgyk8inmomma]
I know I'm better off. 8 years ago I was single, in community college, had no degrees, and was making about $6.87/hour working as an animated character at Universal Studios. Now I'm married, just finished earning a masters degree, making roughly 3 times what I was making then, and have a respectable job with plenty of room for advancement. I didn't have health insurance then, and I do now. The local economy blows since voters here voted to cut property taxes. The result is that public services including 911, police, fire fighters, libraries, schools, etc. have had brutal budget cuts. The library system is currently in a hiring freeze and a raise freeze. I'm lucky I just got a hard to come by promotion with a nice raise. The fools who voted for that cut just think any tax cut is good and were too ignorant to realize that the cuts only benefited homeowners with properties valued over $500,000. I live in a much nicer area than I used to so I feel more secure. My personal rights have not changed. I'm not crazy about the economy, I don't like the war in Iraq, and I despise the current gas prices, but I've worked hard to better my life and have been successful. [Taskr36]
I'm better off than I was 8 years ago and according to your Hillary pic to the right I assume you mean because of government? I don't rely on any government to feed me, clothe me or provide for me or any of my family. I trust in God to give me what I need, not what I want. Things can change in an instant so asking if 8 years ago you were better of sounds political to me. Vote for who you want, but know this: Psalms 1 1-6 [gitfiddleplayer]
Hola! No pun intended. [gitfiddleplayer]
Nope I have to say I am not. Neither are most of my family and neighbors. We are all feeling the pinch in the ecomony it is all most of can do to barely stay afloat. Sad huh? [lilwonders123]
It sure is sad and unfortunately there are too many who are sinking fast. Annie [anniepa]
Um...no...to all of that, lol. I know things could go crazy any time this year or the next and my rights could no longer be considered "an issue"...because when people are desperate, people get insane..and what would the government do then? We still don't have health insurance, our finances are worse, me an' my brother are almost done with our education, thankfully...and we were homeschooled, so I know we're some of the lucky ones. We never have any money left over, not for years now. The economy is in the crapper. We're less secure. I understand the people who believe the apocalypse is just around the corner these days, I mean it only takes a few more things to go bad, or for some of the main problems currently to get worse...and there goes the world as we know it, it'll be replaced by some nightmarish thing...reminiscent of the the Depression, and maybe worse. I dread thinking about the future these days, but we don't really have a choice..do we. [xParanoiax]
I will tell you I am better than I was 8 years ago. From moving out of an abusive marriage to where I am now is a miracle. I have become stronger and more supportive of myself and realized I am not a horrid failure. I am still fairly hard on myself, however I have always been that way. Financially, they call us "starving artist" for a reason. hehe. However my life has been enriched 10 fold at least from 8 years ago with out question. As for the education, I also subsidize with home schooling so that what ever the teachers misses, I try to help and make up. I have no money left after my paychecks because of bills and food and subway fairs, but I am happier. The question about safety and security, oh sure, yep. I love passing the police and guards at every Subway station I go to here in NY. Along with the cameras knowing lil bush is watching me, the security I feel it that I know full well they are reading everything I write. For after all Big Brother is watching. (Add the satire here. hehe) I guess the security I have in faith keeps me safe and is my security blanket in a way. Great question. They should have us vote on what we think are the best discussions of the day. Ainge [Aingealicia]
We are definately better off than we were 8 years ago. 8 years ago we had nothing, my hubby had a poorly paid job we had 2 children and as soon as our wage came in it was already spent plus more on top. We did not have enough to make ends meet. Now we have our own house, granted we still have lots of bills to pay, but at least we have more wages than bills now instead of the other way round. The local economy is ok not stable but ok at the minute. [gemini_rose]
8 years ago I was better off financially. I was making more money at the job I had than the job I have now. I didn't have kids so life was easier that way. I was married and that was going great at that time. I was younger and life seemed easier then. Now things are a little bit of a struggle though not too bad. I can say that mentally I'm much happier. Experience over these years has made me a stronger person as well. That is much more to me than the finances. [skinnychick]
I am not better off now than I was 8 years ago, but I am getting there. Eight years ago I was happily married with a nice home that we owned and a good job and my hubby had a good job. But them everything changed. My hubby got transferred to another city, and another province, and the first couple years were good. We sold our house, with a good profit, and sold all of our stuff and moved to Alberta. The company my hubby worked for paid for our furnished apartment for 8 months and so you would think we could put a bunch of money away. But no, my hubby got into Gambling big time, and lost every penny he made in those 8 months. I didn't know any of this at the time, I thought he was at work. Then we had to get our own apartment and pay our own rent or buy a house or something. That is when I found out that we had no money. He blew his salary and the profit we made from the house sale and we had no money to buy a house so we had to rent. To make a long story a little shorter, this behaviour lasted another 6 years till I finally left him. I am now living with my daughter, in another city, and getting my life back together. So it can only get better from here on in. [chrislotz]