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Member Since: 2/2006Last Seen: 11/28/2009

Presidential economics: Do parties matter? A look at GDP, employment, CPI, and other statistics

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Though the picture so far is of the Republicans as the party of austerity and the Democrats as the party of stimulus, there's a surprise when it comes to changes in the federal deficit: Republicans are more liberal with the red ink than Dems. On average, a Republican in the White House has meant a shift of –1.9% of GDP in the government's budget balance (i.e., towards smaller surpluses or bigger deficits), while a Dem has meant a 1.5% improvement in the budget position (or 1.8%, if you start in 1949, thereby omitting the huge World War II deficit). And in this case, the average is a faithful representation of the distribution, with only one Democrat in the minus column and only one Republican in the plus.

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{"commentId":2203989,"authorDomain":"spiffie"}
With only few exceptions, Republican administrations have presided over increases in unemployment, and Democrats over declines.

Something to keep in mind.

{"commentId":2203989,"threadId":"313915","contentId":"1670053","authorDomain":"spiffie"}
  • 4 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:41 AM EDT
{"commentId":2204360,"authorDomain":"caltha-palustris"}

Spiffie,

More thoughts to ponder. Zfacts about Republican fiscal governance.

{"commentId":2204360,"threadId":"313915","contentId":"1670053","authorDomain":"caltha-palustris"}
  • 3 votes
#1.1 - Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:29 AM EDT
{"commentId":2204381,"authorDomain":"spiffie"}

Cue Mark Twain quote in 3…2…1….

{"commentId":2204381,"threadId":"313915","contentId":"1670053","authorDomain":"spiffie"}
  • 4 votes
#1.2 - Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:32 AM EDT
{"commentId":2204729,"authorDomain":"Prophet"}

I've always done better under democratic administrations. My income increased quite a bit under the Clinton and even under Carter. I nearly starved to death under Nixon, Reagan, and H.W. My income has been stagnant under dubya, if you throw inflation into the mix it's gone down considerably. I may not be starving now but I am hungry.

{"commentId":2204729,"threadId":"313915","contentId":"1670053","authorDomain":"Prophet"}
  • 2 votes
#1.3 - Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:11 AM EDT
{"commentId":2205168,"authorDomain":"spiffie"}

TGF ramen!

{"commentId":2205168,"threadId":"313915","contentId":"1670053","authorDomain":"spiffie"}
  • 2 votes
#1.4 - Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:59 AM EDT
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{"commentId":2205126,"authorDomain":"sgreenway"}

Excellent information!

{"commentId":2205126,"threadId":"313915","contentId":"1670053","authorDomain":"sgreenway"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:55 AM EDT
{"commentId":2205170,"authorDomain":"spiffie"}

It's always good to have the facts available.

{"commentId":2205170,"threadId":"313915","contentId":"1670053","authorDomain":"spiffie"}
  • 3 votes
#2.1 - Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:00 PM EDT
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