In this country, we seem to be rather obsessed with rankings, and with that, hyperbole. Rarely does a sports fan shout out, "We're #17! We're #17! We're #17!" With regard to politics, rarely do you hear someone yell, "He's the 19th worst president in history!" No, it seems that most times, it's all about the "best" and the "worst," without allowing rationale and mathematical odds to enter the mind before speaking. Did I think George W. Bush was a bad president? Yes. However, am I about to call him the worst in our history? Not quite. First off, I've only been around for 33 years, so it's difficult for me to fully understand what each and every president went through during their tenure, and how the people at large were impacted by their policies. Secondly, I haven't done enough research to confidently declare that of all 44 presidents, Dubya is the very worst. I would garner a guess that he's down there a ways, but that's as far as I'll take it at this time.
Like with each and every president it seems, however, I've heard plenty of people refer to Barack Obama as our worst president ever, and at this, I have to chuckle some. At least when making such a hyperbolic statement with regard to Bush, one can point out the fact that when the former president started his tenure, he had a surplus to work with, and at the end of his tenure, we were going through what was called The Great Recession. That still doesn't make such a bold claim fully accurate, of course. However, I can understand that rationale much more than when making a similar claim with regard to Barack Obama. Let's look at the numbers, shall we?
When President Obama took office in January of 2009
The Dow Jones Index: 7,949
Unemployment: 7.8%
GDP Growth: -5.4%
Deficit GDP %: 9.8%
Consumer Confidence: 37.7
Six Years Later
The Dow Jones Index: 17,573 (+9,624)
Unemployment: 5.8% (-2.0%)
GDP Growth: 3.5% (+8.9%)
Deficit GDP %: 2.8% (-7.0%)
Consumer Confidence: 94.5 (+56.8%)
Based on those numbers, I imagine every president wishes they were as bad. Isn't that right, Dubya?
http://elect2care.com/2014/11/19/thank-you-president-obama-and-mother-jones/
Like with each and every president it seems, however, I've heard plenty of people refer to Barack Obama as our worst president ever, and at this, I have to chuckle some. At least when making such a hyperbolic statement with regard to Bush, one can point out the fact that when the former president started his tenure, he had a surplus to work with, and at the end of his tenure, we were going through what was called The Great Recession. That still doesn't make such a bold claim fully accurate, of course. However, I can understand that rationale much more than when making a similar claim with regard to Barack Obama. Let's look at the numbers, shall we?
When President Obama took office in January of 2009
The Dow Jones Index: 7,949
Unemployment: 7.8%
GDP Growth: -5.4%
Deficit GDP %: 9.8%
Consumer Confidence: 37.7
Six Years Later
The Dow Jones Index: 17,573 (+9,624)
Unemployment: 5.8% (-2.0%)
GDP Growth: 3.5% (+8.9%)
Deficit GDP %: 2.8% (-7.0%)
Consumer Confidence: 94.5 (+56.8%)
Based on those numbers, I imagine every president wishes they were as bad. Isn't that right, Dubya?
http://elect2care.com/2014/11/19/thank-you-president-obama-and-mother-jones/
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