THE ECONOMY - by the numbers

Here is something for the idiots who still think
"the fundamentals of our economy are strong"

Number of Americans living in poverty in 2001 31.6 million
Number of Americans living in poverty in 2008 36.5 million
[U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2007]

Total consumer credit debt in 2001 $7.65 trillion
Total consumer credit debt in 2008 $12.8 trillion
[Insurance Information Institute]

Decline in median income from 2000-2006 in White American households $745
Decline in median income from 2000-2006 in Hispanic households $1,043
Decline in median income from 2000-2006 in Asian households $1,381
Decline in median income from 2000-2006 in African-American households $2,766
Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, 2006.
Current Population Reports, Consumer Income. August 2007

American manufacturing jobs in 2000 17,263,000
American manufacturing jobs in 2006 14,197,000
U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Employment Statistics

Yearly average number of new private sector jobs created from 1992-2000 1.76 million
Yearly average number of new private sector jobs created from 2001-2008 369,000
[Bureau of Labor Statistics.]

Average price of a gallon of gasoline on January 3, 2000 $1.59
Average price of a gallon of gasoline on January 7, 2008 $3.14
United States Energy Administration. Retail Gasoline Historical Prices

Exxon Mobil profits in 2000 $7.9 billion
Exxon Mobil profits in 2006 $36.1 billion
Exxon Mobil's profit during the second quarter of 2006, per second $1,318
CNNMoney.Com, Fortune 500 2006; Exxon Mobil; CNN.com, "Exxon Mobile makes more than $10 billion." July 27, 2006.

Percentage of Americans receiving employment-based health insurance, 2000 64.2
Percentage of Americans receiving employment-based health insurance, 2006 59.7
U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, 2006. August 2007

The number of Americans without health insurance in 2000 38.4 million
The number of Americans without health insurance in 2006 46.9 million
U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, 2006. August 2007

The national debt in 2001 $5.7 trillion
The national debt in Jan. 2008 $9.2 trillion
[U.S. Dept. of the Treasury]

U.S. budget balance in fiscal year 2000 $236 billion surplus
U.S. budget balance in fiscal year 2007 $354 billion deficit
House Office of Management and Budget. Historical Tables; White House Office of Management and Budget. "Table S-1. Budget Totals."

According to results of an annual survey of employer-sponsored health insurance plans conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust, the average price for a family health insurance package in 2007 in the U.S. was $12,106. For an individual the average cost was $4,479 for the year. This represents a 78% increase since 2001.

Now I dare you to say...
THE ECONOMY IS BETTER THAN IT WAS 8 YEARS AGO!

McCain's Debate Debacle

My friends,
Did you watch the debate Friday night?

Were we really expected to believe that McCain was serious about canceling his appearance in the debate? Presidential Debates are not something you just show up to without proper preparation. This first debate had been scheduled almost a year ago.The candidates may practice for days, weeks, even months before the event. He wanted us to accept that he was willing to sacrifice his campaign with a kamikaze move like this? (I didn't fall for it)
I am so glad McCain changed his mind and participated.
That was so very noble of him. (note the sarcasm)

Dear John "Keating-5" McCain,
WE, The American people are NOT STUPID!
(We will prove this by not voting for you, unless we are stupid)

All I hear from him is...

• My friends, my friends, my friends
• I was in the Navy
• I was a POW
• I got a pen
• I knew Ronald Reagan
• I am a maverick

OK! ALL RIGHT! WE GET IT!
But which one of those things qualifies a man for the presidency?
NONE!

Well, my friends, I would REALLY like to blog about something else for once, but McCain-Palin just provide me with so much to work with.