General Discussion

titaniumsalute

(4,742 posts) Tue Sep 4, 2012, 07:42 AM Sep 2012

The "are you better off than 4 years ago" can't be individual, but must be answered as a whole

The Federal Government isn't here to help you individually or me individually necessarily, it is here to help the collective good of the nation.

Is the country, as a whole, better off than it was 4 years ago and it is of course a resounding "yes." What is funny is that the Conservatives want Government "out of my life!" But now they want the Government to make their lives better...which is it??

Here's some ways we are better off today as a nation.

1. Health Care Reform. 32 Million people will be covered under the new health plan by 2014. That is a GREAT thing. In addition, pre-existing conditions are now gone and students up until 26 can get HC coverage under their parents. Also, Insurance companies can't just drop clients now.

2. The stock market is up 6,500 points (Dow.) How is that good? Hundreds of thousands of retirement 401(k)s, Mutual Funds, IRAs, etc. are back in positive territory.

3. Gays and Lesbians have seen DADT go away. This has been a positive statement by the administration for the LGBT community.

4. The Obama camp has significantly helped Veteran's Affairs with larger budgets to help with the returns from both Iraq and Afghanistan.

5. The Iraq War is over and thousands of troops have now come home.

Please add more to this list. We need a swift, actionable answer to the question "Are you better off than 4 years ago?" The answer is YES. WE, as a nation, are better off.

11 replies

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Highlight:

The "are you better off than 4 years ago" can't be individual, but must be answered as a whole (Original Post) titaniumsalute Sep 2012 OP

We As A Nation Were Mortally Wounded During The 8 Years Of BushCo And We Were Bleeding Profusely.... global1 Sep 2012 #1

Great post and thanks! titaniumsalute Sep 2012 #2

GDP was -9%, now +2%, an 11% shift. JoePhilly Sep 2012 #3

UE is 8.3%, which is lower than in Obama's first full month in office (Feb 2009, 8.4%) JoePhilly Sep 2012 #4

Thanks. I'm going to be using this thread. :) n/t OneGrassRoot Sep 2012 #5

Might be just fine if you are lucky... 99Forever Sep 2012 #6

Also, Osama Bin Laden Is Dead Yavin4 Sep 2012 #7

Yes, Straights now let gay people die for them, but still will not let us have basic human rights! Bluenorthwest Sep 2012 #8

So you are lumping all "straights" into one category? If so, F-U. titaniumsalute Sep 2012 #11

Dean Baker has it right. "Is the house better off now that the firefighters have left?" lumberjack_jeff Sep 2012 #9

It won't become truly relevant for another 3 weeks, when it will be 4 years from the stock market cbdo2007 Sep 2012 #10

global1

(25,261 posts)

1. We As A Nation Were Mortally Wounded During The 8 Years Of BushCo And We Were Bleeding Profusely....

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 09:18 AM

Sep 2012

President Obama applied pressure to the wound and stopped the bleeding. Then he went in surgically to suture the wound. Problem is the patient lost a lot of blood and the patient is still weak but stabilized. The patient was given a transfusion to nurse the patient back to health and the patient is becoming stronger. Now is not the time to change doctors. We need to stick with the doctor that has a good understanding of the patient's condition and has a well thought out care plan. We all have a vested interest in this patient and need to work together to provide the patient with positive reinforcement and moral support to aid in the recovery. Some physical, occupational and psychological therapy is in order. We need to close the donut hole but bottom line the patient IS better off than 4 years ago.

titaniumsalute

(4,742 posts)

2. Great post and thanks!

Reply to global1 (Reply #1)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 09:19 AM

Sep 2012

JoePhilly

(27,787 posts)

3. GDP was -9%, now +2%, an 11% shift.

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 09:21 AM

Sep 2012

JoePhilly

(27,787 posts)

4. UE is 8.3%, which is lower than in Obama's first full month in office (Feb 2009, 8.4%)

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 09:22 AM

Sep 2012

UE reached a high of 10.2%, and is now down almost 2% from that high.

OneGrassRoot

(22,920 posts)

5. Thanks. I'm going to be using this thread. :) n/t

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 09:34 AM

Sep 2012

99Forever

(14,524 posts)

6. Might be just fine if you are lucky...

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 09:43 AM

Sep 2012

.. enough to be one of those that has see their lot improve.

If your life is circling the bowl and OUR government is doing squat to help...

... not so much.

Yavin4

(35,445 posts)

7. Also, Osama Bin Laden Is Dead

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 09:46 AM

Sep 2012

Funny how quickly we move on from certain topics. OBL was the main influence over the 2002 and 2004 election cycles.

Bluenorthwest

(45,319 posts)

8. Yes, Straights now let gay people die for them, but still will not let us have basic human rights!

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 10:11 AM

Sep 2012

So sick of the hype. The repeal was a step forward, but incomplete in ways that should shame good people. Equal rights would do more for us financially than all the political crap and stimulus and whatnot. Just stop over taxing us, please. How hard is that? Well, apparently it is really hard for straights to extend equality to others, although they are happy to let those others die for their protection. What a sterling community the straight community is!

titaniumsalute

(4,742 posts)

11. So you are lumping all "straights" into one category? If so, F-U.

Reply to Bluenorthwest (Reply #8)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 11:38 AM

Sep 2012

I've been fighting for Gay (and others) rights my whole and I'm straight. I don't have a personal agenda as I am not Gay but many of my friends are and I fight on their behalf. I don't appreciate being lumped together with the idiots who want to keep gay people down.

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)

9. Dean Baker has it right. "Is the house better off now that the firefighters have left?"

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 10:26 AM

Sep 2012

Were it not for Obama the economy would have burned to the ground, as a matter of policy.

cbdo2007

(9,213 posts)

10. It won't become truly relevant for another 3 weeks, when it will be 4 years from the stock market

Reply to titaniumsalute (Original post)

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 10:27 AM

Sep 2012

crash.

President Obama should bring this up in the debates....."Exactly 4 years ago, the stock market crashed...." and that puts the question more into context.

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