Are you better off then you were 7 years ago?

[spotbird]

Poll question: Are you better off then you were 7 years ago?

A disturbing number of you aren't old enough to remember that question. Ronald Reagan asked it during the 1980 campaign against Carter, it was a winner for him. It's never been a better time to revive it.

[Hoof Hearted]

1. worse off, barely treading water.

[Honeycombe8]

24. Oops. Reply to wrong post. not

,

[Honeycombe8]

25. Yes, I am.

I am employed at the same place. How long that'll last, I don't know, but for the moment, I am.

I have gotten 7 years of raises, paid off what little debt I had, and got extra $ from overtime. I have outpaced inflation a bit. I have added to my 401K (the cap was raised by the Republicans, actually).

My property taxes, which were astronomical, did not increase that much this year, thanks to the Repub gov (Republicans are not TOTALLY evil...they are pretty good on taxes, which is why some people vote for them; others, of course, don't think that everything should always be about taxes and money only, but that's the subject of another post).

So I'm not swimming in money or anything, but yes, I have gained ground during the last 7 years. That for the most part was due to my hard work and my employer's success (successful employers tend to keep their employees, and they give raises).

[Parche]

2. what tax cuts?

not for us, only for rich :hi:

[Auggie]

3. I trust the democrats will be asking this again and again...

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. Economically Speaking, I Am Better Off. But It Ain't All About Me.

That's the point, I think.

[HeraldSquare212]

15. Amen - my situation too, but much more unhappy with my country

and the way it treats people here and around the world.

[DinahMoeHum]

17. Another "Amen" here.

Financially, I'm fine. Psychologically, though, I've developed a rather nasty, incivil attitude toward a lot of things and even a few people.

You know the meme - love my country, hate the government.

:evilfrown:

[Forkboy]

5. No, but to be fair a lot of it is my own fault.

:)

[Faygo Kid]

6. I was unemployed after 9-11 for two years, but doing fine now. Then there's that war. . .

Yes, I am doing better financially. But I don't feel better off as a citizen of the U.S., or the world. We assume the Bush Administration is done, cooked, and we're moving on. I don't believe he's done with us. Don't believe it for a minute.

We live in mortal peril so long as W. is in the White House. Plus, our environment is much worse off these seven years, the middle class has slipped back, the poor have been devastated, the powerful have been entrenched, and there are more Limbaugh-types on the air than ever before.

And then there's the war. So personally I'm better off, but not as a citizen.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. Not quite sure

in 2001, both of us were working. Now my husband is disabled -- but he's on SSD. However, in 2001, he had medical insurance from work. Now he has no insurance, and Medicare doesn't kick in for a year. We have fewer debts--we took out a loan on our land and paid off credit cards five years ago. This year, God willing, the loan on the land will be paid off, and our only bills will be monthly ones. Yet my husband cannot work the garden, and when I get home I'm too tired to do it. So there are trade offs, not all related to the economy. May all of you find more peace this year, if not prosperity.

[juno jones]

8. Lost damn near everything but still treading

But then I've been treading water for almost 30 years now. Just another shitty day in paradise.

At least the bus stops right outside my new digs.

[jaysunb]

9. I'm alive

and glad of it. Means I still get a chance to dig out of this hole. :evilfrown:

[jody]

10. No, I'm seven years older! n/t

[dsc]

11. I am better off in almost every way

but not a whit is attributable to Bush. I was about 9 months sober on inaguration day in 2001, was working part time, and living with my parents. Conversly now I am close to 8 years sober, a full time teacher, and living in an apartment. I am pretty much out at work, advising a GSA, and have lost about 50 lbs. Plus I am becoming a bit more social. But, Bush gets no credit.

[FSogol]

12. I can't afford the "e" for in worse.

:shrug:

[tammywammy]

13. Yes

I am personally better off.

[AlCzervik]

14. financially yes.

We are very lucky, for once in our lives we times things just right, never happened before and might not ever happen again. Having said that one of the best things is the ability to give more than we were ever able to do in the past.

[apocalypsehow]

16. PERSONALLY, I had to vote "Yes." I have an excellent job, as does my wife, and financially things

have never been better. However, millions of my fellow Americans do not have healthcare, poverty remains a blight on this rich country, we're still engaged in an insane war in Iraq, corruption is rife throughout every seamy branch of this wretched administration, and Congress is mired in GOP-inspired procedural delaying tactics to thwart the will of the people at every turn.

I may be better off; my country - and millions of my fellow countrymen - are not.

[high density]

18. Overall, yes

But this was no thanks to the policies of my government, that's for sure.

[taught_me_patience]

19. way way better off

I'm making over 3x what I was making 7 years ago. I attibute it to working hard and moving to Los Angeles.

[jlake]

20. Yes, I am. IN SPITE of Bush - not because of him.

[JustinL]

21. yes, but I was in college 7 years ago

[Vinca]

22. My husband's business is real estate related so we're holding

on by the the skin of our teeth. I sell antiques and collectibles and that's in the dumper, too, since people would rather buy heating oil in New Hampshire in the winter.

[michreject]

23. Yes

I retired in 06 W/ full pension and medical. Wife did the same. I'm only 55.

[Honeycombe8]

26. Yes.

I am employed at the same place. How long that'll last, I don't know, but for the moment, I am.

I have gotten 7 years of raises, paid off what little debt I had, and got extra $ from overtime. I have outpaced inflation a bit. I have added to my 401K (the cap was raised by the Republicans, actually).

My property taxes, which were astronomical, did not increase that much this year, thanks to the Repub gov (Republicans are not TOTALLY evil...they are pretty good on taxes, which is why some people vote for them; others, of course, don't think that everything should always be about taxes and money only, but that's the subject of another post).

So I'm not swimming in money or anything, but yes, I have gained ground during the last 7 years. That for the most part was due to my hard work and my employer's success (successful employers tend to keep their employees, and they give raises).