Things in U.S. better or worse than one year ago?
(PHOTO CREDIT: STAN HONDA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Things are still bad in the U.S. - but not nearly as rotten as they were a year ago. At least that's the headline from a new national survey.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll shows 67 percent of those surveyed say things are going badly in this country... but that's down 10 points from a year ago. 32 percent now say things are going well.
The poll indicates optimism appears to have peaked last November - when 37 percent of Americans said things were going well.
As you might expect, this survey also shows a big partisan divide... With a Democratic president and Congress in charge, half of Democrats say things are going well... compared to just a quarter of Independents and even fewer Republicans.
With the national unemployment rate at just under 10 percent - jobs remain the top issue on many Americans' minds. And even though the economy is showing some signs of turning the corner… just today the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, said we still face a long road toward recovery:
"We are far from being out of the woods."
Bernanke highlighted unemployment, along with home foreclosures and weak bank lending as reasons why the economy will take time to rebound. But he said he's optimistic employment will slowly decline throughout the year, which should increase optimism for consumers.
Here’s my question to you: Do you think things in the U.S. are better or worse than one year ago?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Kim in Hickory Hills, Illinois writes:
Jack, One year ago we were talking about the Great Depression 2.0. We are now talking about how many jobs were created in March. Jack, let's be realistic: We were starving one year ago, now we're simply hungry. Of course we are better off. We have a lifeline unless we get amnesia and put the bankrupt Republicans back in office.
Mark writes:
Nothing has been accomplished in this country other than expanding the size of our wasteful government. I think we are currently about the same, but the future is grim!
Eric in New Jersey writes:
Jack, I'm in banking and I deal with hundreds of business owners. I can say with certainty that the consensus is that business is up, profits are returning, but not enough to start hiring people back yet. The economy is headed in the right direction, but it seems Wall Street is moving at lightning speed while small businesses are the "lagging indicator".
Jerry in North Carolina writes:
Jack, Here in North Carolina, it still seems about the same: Jobs still going to illegal immigrants. Taxes always and still on the rise, especially for small businesses. What, they don't think we notice? And how about them gas prices?
Mike in Tampa writes:
Jack, I just drove 500 miles of back-roads. I have never seen so many closed businesses. Depressing. Things are definitely worse.
Lorraine in Abingdon, Maryland writes:
I'm still unemployed, but I'm seeing more job postings. More people seem to be buying and selling.
Bob in Kansas City, Missouri writes:
It depends on how far you went to hit bottom last year. Wall Street was hurting, so by that standard we're better. But it's Main Street that has born the brunt of the irresponsibility that got us to this point. That's the opinion that counts.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
I'm worse off as I find myself forced into Charitable contributions to the Government instead of voluntary contributions. I here how my employer cant afford the new health care costs and plans in 2011 to refund the money they use to buy my family insurance to me minus the fine to the Government charities. I also find myself preparing for a VAT tax coming from Democrats that will take even more of my money to charity and limit how much I can purchase to help someone keep their job. With a new 6% on anything I buy outside of food. This is just another step towards a socialist country. I might as well lose my job and become unemployed, my Government benefits would far outweigh my pay today and I would be able to lay around the house all day.
What's your perspective? Short term, I'd say it is better since the job market, as terrible as it is, appears to have stabilized in the near-term and people are not losing jobs at ridiculous rates. Long-term the outlook is much darker. We have spent billions "bailing out" broken companies and negligent executives, which we will likely never see again. We have burned billions on a stimulus bill that has done absolutley nothing to create jobs, relative to the money that was spent. All of this will be paid back by our children when tax rates hit 75% in the future. And despite all the wasteful spending they have done nothing to promote sustainable growth in the private sector. When the government bubble bursts, we will be in the next great recession, and since we never bother fixing the problems, each one is deeper than the last. Our children will effectively be government slaves. Someone certainly deserves a pat on the back for accomplishing the, previously, unfathomable.
You've got to be kidding? From economy, to jobs, relations with Israel, Iran, extreme partisanship in Washington not to mention all the media allegations of racism, I think our country is not only going in the wrong direction, but getting there a break neck speed. November can't get here soon enough for me. Hoping we can stop this train wreck.
I'll tell you by tomorrow, my firm is laying off. My head is on the chopping block. I'll let you know if I survive the blood bath.
Jack, I'm starting to think that depends on how far oil speculators will be allowed to inflate gas prices, and whether any real financial reform is on the table. Our national economy was crippled as a result of deregulation, with the middle class taking the brunt of the damage. Now we are starting to see some relief, however the financial powers that brought us calamity are back at work, and threatening to bring us down again.
If you're a Toyota car salesman, they're worse.
Gary in Arizona
Things are worse....No doubt about it!
The American public does not trust Washington or Wall Street and that is not changing with all their efforts to smack talk their way around the issues. There is no accountability for the greed and fraud...NO ONE is going to admit any fault in this financial mess. They just keep saying, we didn't see this coming.
I wonder how many politicians wives, husbands or family members have interest and great stakes in the Real-estate Shenanigans of the past 10 years. Would be interesting to look at those numbers.
I don't have a lot of faith in the folks that got us into this mess to help us get out of it. Cover up after cover up, lies, lies, lies...
Health care passed, jobs are coming back, a nuke agreement is about to be signed and the stock market is about to hit 11,000. Happy Days are here again, Jack.
Jack The IRS thinks that things are better for me than they were a year ago. I owe them $10,000.00.
The outlook is much better than a year ago. A year ago employees at work did not get a raise and some were let go. It even seemed that I would follow those who were dismissed. Today we are all getting a raise. This was unexpected and a total surprise. None of us thought we were getting a raise. Most of us thought that we were lucky to still HAVE a job. To answer your question...I believe we are better than a year ago.
It's difficult to ask other nations to reduce their arsenal when we wouldn't do the same. Let Israel take care of Iran, they are closer and militarily speaking they have their poop in a group.
Overall, they are worse. We are further in debt, the real job situation is not improving, healthcare is a mess, the drug situation is getting worse by the day and our political leaders are more corrupt and divided than any time in our history. Need I say more?
Better. The economy is recovering with the DOW hitting around 11000 which is the highest its been in years. The economy is now gaining jobs instead of hemorrhaging them. Health care has finally been dealt with, even if its only a tiny step in the right direction. Yes, things are better.
Worse, we are now a socialist country with a socialist governement, with a jobless recovery and a new health care program that nobody uderstands and will cost us trillions of megabucks, understand, the democrats who passed it, did not read the bill, just as they did not read the worthless stimulus bill and passed it. We will also now have higher and higer taxes imposed on us by our socialist regime now in power to pay for all fo their worthless bills that they passed and didn't bother to read.
I am not as scared as I was when President Bush was in office. I do feel President Obama has saved the economy from going into a depression. But what I do not like is what I see in the future for my children and grandchildren. I feel as though time has stopped and we as a nation are going backwards. Special interest groups financed by corporations and Wall Street has taken over the way our country is run. When I read that there are patents on certain genes that only one company can do the test for and is allowed to charge what they want, worries me. And when I read that mining companies even after so-called new safety laws were put into effect. The mining companies are allowed to operate as they please while their lawyers tie up legitimate safety violations that were filed in court. I haven't even mentioned the ballooning national debt and Wall Street still doing business the same as before. Then we have our elected representatives shouting insults at each other and a cable news network encouraging people who are not wrap too tight to act out that sometimes ends up with threats that have to be taken seriously. We are involved in two wars where we are no longer welcome. Afghanistan and Iraq who want us to leave and yet we still pour billions of dollars into their country and sacrificed the lives of our soldiers. This is how I felt a year ago and still feel today.
Ask the unemployed. I am not Obama remembers them.
Of course we are better off. The downward spiral has stopped and the stock market is showing signs of stability. We were in New Orleans last week and there were as many tourists there as there were pre-Katrina. The Cafe Du monde line was so long the patrons were fainting from hunger.
Jack,
Heck yeah ,things are looking much better than this time last year.
It finally looks as if us small business owners have a real shot at the American dream. Previously it seemed that success was only meant for the already successful.
Health care reform was helpful, now we just need banking reform and we will be on the path. I have never been more optimistic than I am right now.
Scot Valentine
Fort Worth, TX
no brainer here worse off more govt waste in teh bailouts higher taxes and to top it off this health care bill it's all downhill from here for the average american not to mention gas still is way too high that stayed the same prety much
Some Things are Better, and Some Things are Worse.
The Fat Cats on Wall Street are Reaping Profits, the Politicians Have Steady Jobs Until November, the Unions Have Grown Stronger, and Many People Have Gotten Government Jobs.
However, Millions of People are Still Out of work, Food Prices Continue to Rise, People are Still Losing their Homes, and Most of all, the National Debt is Rising Faster than the Proposed L.A. to Vegas Bullet Train. The Interest Alone will Destroy the Future of Our Offspring.
Jack,
In my opinion, nothing has changed, things are still terrible everywhere, I feel will still get much worse. I think a great idea to help the economy would be for all of are worthless politicians to take a decrease in pay and perks, you know, the same thing they ask the American people to do all the time. But you and I know this will never happen, these leeches are just to corrupt. The only people they answer to are themselves.
If I were a Democrat, I'd say that the passage of Health Care Reform had made things immeasurably better.
As a realist, I have to say, things are the same if not worse as the increased governmental costs threaten to derail the few signs of economic recovery.
They're no worse because they probably couldn't get any worse as long as China's pawn shop remains open.
Chuck
Longview, Texas
Washington DC - BETTER!
Wall Street - BETTER!
Everywhere else – – WORSE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Better, we are over the panic, but premantent recover of jobs requires renegoation of trade agreements. US indusrty & worker can not compete fairly against countries with no worker protections, no social security, no health insurance, no health & safety standards, and no environmental regulations. This is even worse for totatlitarian countries where the goverment controls everything, manipulates their currency, and puts obsticles in the way of US products – CHINA for those who pay no attention.. .
Things are about the same or worse. If things are better elsewhere, I am interested in where, why and how!
Well, everything is better except we need more financial regulation so this won't be repeated.
Things are better Jack. If we give President Obama eight years he can undo the disaster inflicted upon the nation by the Bushies eight years.The stock market is up 3000 points already.
While not exactly answering your question, I think we have no idea how bad things might have been by now had McCain (the -fundamentals-of-the-economy-are-sound) and the GOP (just let the markets do their work) won the election.
Many things have improved. The auto companies are forcasting a profit and the probability of repaying their loans. We now have a health care bill, a new credit card law and also help for home owners about to lose their homes. Looks like some improvement with the short sale will speed things up. Yes, there is improvement.
Every thing is a lot better.
The economy is a lot better than a year ago. Definately better!
The jobs situation is a lot better than a year ago and will be even more better by this summer into autumn. And will be continuing to be better by the holiday season.
You Republicans just love to live in the past with a lot of doom and gloom.
Jack
One year ago we were talking about the Great Depression 2.0. We are now talking about how many jobs were created in March. Jack let's be realistic, we were starving one year ago, now we're simply hungry. Of course we are better off, we have a lifeline unless we get amnesia and put the bankrupt Republicans back in office.
Kim,
Hickory Hills, IL
Sure things are better than a year ago (no thanks to the GOP). Auto sales are up, employment is up, the fear of selling apples on a street corner is down. Just think where we would be if we had listened to the Republicans–unemployment would be at 25%, I'd be selling apples, and the DOW would be around 3,500.
Steve Newman
Washington DC
(not a political or government employee)
Hello Jack Cafferty and CNN friends,
Things are better than a year ago, because
we have a president who really walks the talk and
we have a better healthcare system,
which creates a lot of jobs opportunity for nurses, doctors and other professionals.
Greetings,
Jurgen R. Brul
not much better . Not one of the criminals that caused this catastrophy is in jail.Why is that Jack.?We even know the guy that did it and he isn't even up un any charges?
Things are better than they have been since the previous administration spent all of the surplus that was there when they took office.
This is not an easy problem to get straightened out.
It would be comparable to me having a million dollar debt.
I would not know what to take care of first. There would be my economic problems, in arrears on my house and car payments, no money for essentials or college. That doesn't take into the fact of the two wars, wall street, and aid for other country's. It would be hard to fix something that someone else did and everyone tearing you down.
We are much better off.
Jack, of course we're better off than a year ago because we haven't hit a depression yet, although if things aren't changed, I wouldn't doubt that we get there yet. Seems that wall street is operating in much the same way they did to bring all this mess about in the first place.
I think it is getting better overall Jack. I am in the packaging industry that serves just about every industry out there. Everyone I have been talking to lately has said that business is getting better little by little. That's definitely a good sign.
Far worse off than a year ago. I have no idea the velocity of Nuclear news yet the naive obama is trapping repayment like a communist not a democrat. Detroit paid by "Health Care Plan" while the executives go to Haiti.
hell no
this administration is a group of amateurs and don't know what they are doing
All my neighbors who are mostly professional were unemployed last year and are still unemployed this year. Gas went from $2.20 last year $2,.85 this year as of today, wall street still has not learned it's lesson and the speculators are playing with oil again which triggered the problem last time so I expect more of the same and when that health care tax hits I expect even worse.
Lets see, unemployment is up, gas prices are up, Wall Street hasn't changed, the banks haven't changed, we have a partisan health care system that has had its costs increase by $94 billion a year, insurance companies are still denying claims, and our man in Afghanistan is thinking about joining the Taliban. Oh, and no Conan O'Brien. Life sucks, Jack.
Break it down Jack..
Americans are actually being told the truth again. They actually know that they are way to far in debt, to cowardly to keep the terrorists on thier own soil so you won't be closing Gitmo, the draw down in iraq has started and the real fight at least on paper is being looked at in Afghanistan, the millions of suffering Americans that couldn't afford health care at least now have some hope, Wall Street is trading at it's true value between 10 and 11 thousand, the tea party is about to divide good ole boy party in half and believe it or not jobs are being created again. Basically everything that Bush and his cronies couldn't or wouldn't do President Obama has started or finished in just one year.
If that isn't better I don't know what is.
Jack,
Things are worse than last year because jobs haven't been created by old reliable, our government. Those trillions of dollars spent on thousands of programs for decades created millions of jobs, hence taxpayers and consumers. The free market would not have thrived so successfully without those government dollars. We are entering new uncertain economic waters, the likes of which most of us have not seen. Our government is broke, so don't hold your breath things will get any better for now or the foreseeable future.
Since a year ago, the racists have come out of the woodwork! There has been more hatred being spewed by right-wing extremists, and its getting scary. We located one Christian militia, but how many more exist. I stumbled on an AM radio hate machine, and was flabbergasted to hear the constant anger, as if we invaded the wrong country or something. These wackos sound as if they are encouraging an uprising. What ever happened to calm, adult discussion. sheesh!
On the plus side, President Obama has prevented another depression, restored the US to its position of the most admired country in the world, and actually started to regulate the health care and financial services industries. Is there a connection here between the regulation and the hate speech? hmmm
Without hesitation or reservation, things are tremendously better in the US than they were a year ago. The fear of a pending depression is no longer the primary focus of all economic policy. Our economy seems to have started to turn the corner. We are no longer losing more than 700,000 jobs every month. We have started to process of standing down the War in Iraq. American leadership as a respected world power broker has been restored globally. The US Supreme Court is more reflective of the diversity of the American people. While there is still much work to be done on financial reform for Wall Street, the Stock market has shown signs of rebounding. Loans to ad College Students with the cost of higher education has been significantly enhanced, and approximately 30 million more American citizens in this great country will have some degree of access to health care, notwithstanding the accomplishments of capturing or killing high valued Taliban/Al Qaeda enemies, with improved relations with Russia and China to boot.
Well, tne nation didn't go into the Third Depression, we have healthcare for more Americans, Ledbetter act for equal pay for women, just for starters. I think we are heading in the right direction. Compared to two years ago, much better.
Let me see... > 10% unemployment, mired in an Afghan war that was supposed to be over with, highest debt in history, largest government takeover of private institutions in our lifetimes, highest taxes on our most productive businesses and individuals in history, lowest standing among friends and foe alike abroad, a growing Iranian threat (despite having a "nice" president), and government takeover of our healthcare system – gee, Jack, what do you think?
A year ago the country was in free-fall due to the Bush administration's two unnecessary wars, tax breaks for the wealthy and unfunded drug benefits for seniors. Now, with an intelligent and educated Barack Obama occupying the Oval Office, the necessary, but very difficult steps were taken to get the country back on track and, for this, the Republicans have yelled bloody murder. Had these steps not been taken, China may have called in our IOU's and we would have been in more serious financial trouble than this country has ever experienced. Thanks President Obama – well done!
Everything is a lot better.
The economy is a lot better than a year ago.
The homes in parts of some states and my state and in this county of my state has started to climb up in value instead of dropping.
According to the REAL EXPERT on the economy, who appeared on CNN April 6 2010 and represented the agency which has been doing the study of the economy up and down swings for over 50 years, "The Recession has been Over since July 2009." The Economist Expert showed the charts which was based on facts.
The Jobs situation has gotten a lot better than this time last year as well. Infact according to the Chart posted by that Economist Expert the jobs situation has reached where it was at the end of 2007. That is a lot better than the Republican Politcian with their Doom and Gloom projections of what they think it is.
Even my husband has more work lined up with programming consulting jobs through into next year. The company he is currently working for is hiring more people for their clients.
Things are better. The village has its idiot back and a smart man is president.
Ed
Texas
Things are better across the country. Now if jobs would make a come back to equal the wall street come back, then middle America would see the difference. But Americans are spoiled, we want what we want, and we want it now. Marlene in Mich
Gas is going to stay at 3$, interest rates are going to jump.
I believe we are having an Economic Indian Summer, very soon it is going to hit the fan.
The nation is better off, because our President and Congress have been exposed as the liars and thieves that they really are. Trillions of dollars have been spent on phony stimulus and partisan politics with nothing but huge debt to show for it. America is fed up, and now in November we will finally be able to start doing something about it. Vote for responsibility and accountability, regardless of party affiliation.
Mark Angle
Oklahoma
Jack, I have seen little change. I am still unemployed. Republicans and their big business supporters are still spreading lies to keep Obama from moving us away from the abyss that their economic policies have brought us to. Tea Parties are still claiming to be independent of the Republican party. So, what is supposed to have changed?
Things are better than a year ago; problem is better hasn't trickled down to everyone. Don't you just LOVE that "Trickle Down Economics"! The republicans that cling to this bogus theory should be so proud!
There has been great improvement from a year ago.
A year ago we were all still in shock from finding out the financial situation of our country. A year ago we did not have a Health Care plan. A year ago there were no steps being taken for financial reform, aid to college students. A year ago there were layoffs monthly, and , we now see employment rising.
A year ago our country faced many diasters, but with a president that puts our country and the people first, we are all becoming more confident there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Jack, I think that it is about the same. The jobs and this economy are not going to be fixed anytime soon. After 8 years of a do nothing war president, it will take some serious effort. The cost of the War in Iraq would have paid for everyone to have healthcare, and would help to subsidise bringing jobs back to the U.S.
to put it to you this way, we still have the same people in office as we did a year ago. things aren't exactly any better. if you got rid of the entire sorry manure pile of the elected elite, we would definitely have a brighter chance of seeing better times!
Jack, I think we are much better off now than a year ago. We see that Obama's hard work on many fronts is beginning to pay off. The economy is slowly returning from the brink of collapse, and people are certainly more likley to talk about the issues and politics compared with the past when they just didn't pay enough attention to what was going on. We are now finding out all sorts of things about how our Government Works that maybe we didn't want to know, but we are also learning that our Democracy is not perfect. While some would say these revelations are new and that our government has become more corrupt, I would say its becoming more transparent, and we are just paying better attention, and being less delusional about our country (Tea Party excluded). I see signs of hope.
I think we are better off...A lot of what we are dealing with was created by
Bush/Cheney and thier plutocracy of the wealthy....Banks are paying back thier loans, American cars are selling, homes are selling and employment is up slightly....However we could recover faster if the super wealthy were taxed more and the money used to repair the damage that was done by Bush/ Cheny tax cuts, deregulation and deficit spending..outsourcing..war profiteering,ect...We need to pay down the debt, create better regulations for banks, insurace companys, food saftey and more regulators to keep up the the greedy. SOBs...Job creation, even if they are created by the government, is essential...
Dump another wheel barrow full of stimulus money onto the fire.
Are you warmer now? Great! Now keep shipping the logs to China.
Only those who have died in the last year would say things are worse.
Hey Jack,
As far as personally things are about the same.
As far as America, its begining to show some life with passing Healthcare and some of those benefits, yet jobs still need to return back here. American companies have taken advantage of the tax breaks for "outsourcing" given by the GOP that those jobs may never return, therefore, we still have a long ways to go...still need to stop those tax cuts for outsourcing, stop the off-shore tax-havens, stop excess bonuses by CEO's and company executives...
The debauchery and gambling of the old west is still alive on Wall St. leaving a new generation of ghost towns in their wake. The banking lobby is The most powerful lobby, not just in America, but the world. They are to a heart, what blood is to commerce. Without credit nothing moves far. Too much power to be in the care of a few of our biggest banks. I don't know what to dislike them more for, those fat bonuses, when they rewarded their incompetency , or defiantly holding onto taxpayer money not give us credit with our own money. If this were the wild west " woulda heard somebody yell "string em up"!
It"s not "Marvy "yet , but getting better. it was sort of rude of the right wing to trash the economy and then bad mouth Obama for trying to save it tho...
A year ago many well off Americans were putting off the purchase of a new TV and those less well off were putting off the purchase of a steak. Today we are fighting among ourselves about the changes we must make and how they affect the future.
I'm not sure which is better.
You're kidding with this question, right? All I know, is that we have had health care that we didn't want crammed down our throats, Unemployment has risen, banks and insurance companys got richer and the common man got stuck with bill. I ran is becoming nuclear with our president's approval. Hell, where is my "interest" check on the loans my tax money went to bail out all these banks and Ins. giants so they could keep drawing their multi-million dollar salaries? Answer me that if you dare.
Personally would have to say better.....At least my son is back in college AND also working at a school in South Dakota....he couldn't find anything in the Phoenix metro area for over a year when the company he worked filed bankruptcy and closed up shop after the Xmas holidays in 2008!
Things are getting much worse , Since our President has taken office hate groups have Tripled , The far right has become louder and more hatful than ever.....They keep yelling bring back the good old day's ,Well for many minorites it stokes fear ...A look back on the good old day's .....No big bad government telling companies they had to treat all employees equal regardless of thier race or gender , That minorities and woman should equal voting rights ,ride the same buses , live in the nieborhoods ,children attend the same schools , sale safe food and protect children from those who tend to do them harm...Wow Sarah Palin and others seems to miss those days and the governor of Virginia wants to bring back the Confederate .....Whats next a civil war to end freedom for monorities in America...Just as th confederate falt to keep African Americans Slaves...( In America things are getting down right crazy)...And that's all I have to say about that.......God Bless the United States of America and our President....
America's future is much better than our terrible past Governor!!!!!!
Jack,
I think we are getting slightly better.All these right wingers for some reason think that our problems began January 22,2009 when in fact they started a much longer time ago when Pres. Bush de-regulated banking.Pres. Obama is just trying to fix the hole in the bag of crap he was handed.
Greg M. Largo,FL
Somewhere in between!
David, Las Vegas
Worse. There have been more businesses that closed;more banks failed;schools are closing with some going to a four day week; thousands have lost unemployment benefits;violence in Iraq has started up with a vengence;Afghanistan is a terrible trouble spot and Pakistan is just waiting to errupt; and Obama's ratings are the lowest ever. The problem is: I know things can still get much worse. The politicans can manipulate the statistics any way they want but what my eyes read in the newspapers,magazines, see on TV and see for themselves on the street cannot be twisted to something other than what the situation truly is. And it is dire.
Things were rapidly going down hill before Bush left office. It will take a lot of work to stop the bleeding and start rebuilding. You can't do massive tax cuts and expect things to pay for themselves.
We're not where we use to be 2 years ago. But, I do see signs of improvement through a lot of hard work.
It depends on how far you went to hit bottom last year, Wall Street is hurting so by that standard we're better...but its Main Street that has bore the brunt of the irresponsibility that got us to this point, that's the opinion that counts. Bob
Lets see.....The last president has been banished to Texas and that special obscure limbo hell reserved for shamed politicians. His Gang is reduced to spot appearances on the right wing fear and hate mongering network, where they try to rewrite history and justify ignorance to the ignorant. Yes, just watching those fools languish in intellectual hell makes this year better than last.
Things are worse now because jobs are gone forever and the gov is
not going to extend unemployment benefits much longer.
State tax revenue continues to fall as any surpluses are exhusted.
People have used all available sources to get by and have exhausted
those sources. Yes its far worse now, and will continue.
Riley ODay charleston wv
Jack: It is pretty obvious that the economy is degrading--and everyone is pointing fingers-as to who is to blame. You tell me Jack--–is it better? A great majority of people remain in poverty, while a privileged few reap the benefits of rising abundance. And with mid-term elections--Americans are going to elect the same individuals on a whole-–expecting different results--and we know what that is called---insanity--In essence it makes no difference what Americans do--especially when they are insane--and it is going to get worse.
Jack, I believe they are worse and will continue to get worse still. Washington D.C. can't stop spending money it doesn't have, Los Angeles is one small step away from bankruptcy, California isn't far behind, and the country is rapidly sinking under a debt burden that nobody seems to understand is killing the economy. There is no sign that anyone has the will or a plan to stop the ever increasing spiral of deficit spending, and every time Obama opens his mouth it costs the country another $100B or more in unfunded deficit spending. Congress and the President lie to each other, then try to sell the lies to the people, and the "believers" continue to cheer them on. That is insanity, no other word covers it.
worse for most people.
Worse. Perhaps the reason for the 10 percent reduction in the poll number was because those 10 percent are dead or in prison or went back to Mexico and were no longer around to contribute. People are still out of work and America is trillions of dollars farther in debt then it was a year ago. How the hell could that equate to a better America?????
In all candor and truthfulness, Jack, things are frighteningly worse than last year and will get even more so before getting better. Of course, I am only speaking for the working class and those living from day to day with no where to turn in actuality. Lots of rhetoric and false claims but nothing of substance, easy access or availability to those in need. Those at the top have never suffered from anything that has gone on economically and it is for this very reason there is no empathy or realization of how badly we are hurting. Look at gas prices, jobs, incomes, benefits, retirement plans, fees and taxes, vehicle prices, health insurance, educational costs, racism, a petty and divided Congress, food prices, pretend drug wars, sleeping with despots and tyrants, and wars without end or justification. I could go on but my point is, nothing has been done to alleviate or end any one of these problems by our government for the past 16 years or more. Lip service is all that we have to credit those representing us with.
Thom Richer
Negaunee, MI
The economy lost more then 700,000 jobs the month President Obama took office last year. We are now gaining jobs and other economic indicators are moving in a positive direction so I would say we are doing better.
Ah the old Reagan question. I know a lot of people that are still suffering through the "Great Recession." And for them, it's a day-to-day affair and any sort of blip is a bad thing. It was nice to see that the job numbers were finally on the positive side, but we're still hovering around 10% unemployment and there are a number of states still well above that average. So, I would say it's just more of the same.
Worse. Jobs continue to be outsourced. Made in the USA is a slogan of the past. Cost of living far outpaces income. Our elected nonrepresentatives are completely out of touch and are only concerned with their own reelection. Special interests and corporate America now control our elections (thanks supreme court). The people who caused this calamty continue to take home millions in bonuses for job nonperformance. And the list goes on.....
Yes I think things are much better than they were a year ago but I don't expect President Obama nor the Dems to get any credit for it even if it was 10 times better
The Republican lawmakers are continuing to block and obstruct every legislation designed to help create jobs, ease those unemployed and regulate wall street banks. Nonetheless, it appears that America is slowly improving and slowly traveling in a entirely better direction than that of the horrific Karl Rove-Bush-Cheney era.
Jack,
There are still many Americans with out jobs, crime rising, prices rising, oil rising, troops abroad fighting a worthless war, people starving, teachers being laid off, college tuition rising, enviromental problems and Madoff sitting behind bars living off tax-payers money. I guess the answer to your question Jack is worse. There is still hope though.
Postal Joe
Rock Hill NY
one day cnn says there was 3000 jobs lost last month the next day cnn says there was 130000 jobs created last month yet yhe unemployment rate stayed the same how can that be where were the jobs created at i live in everett wa no things are not better
Jack, until I can get my mortgage company to permanently modify my loan (I've been in the HAMP program on a trial period basis since Sept-09 and I originally applied in Mar-09 after Obama enacted the program!), I'll hold off on making a judgement call. It's hard to be optimistic when you don't know if you will still be living in your home in the next few months. The banks and mortgage companies will be the major players in this recovery, and without their cooperation, we all fail.
I think as a whole the country is about the same, not better or worse. How long can unemployment insurance kept being paid?
How many states will require "bailouts" (Cali?)
I am curious how this year goes.
Cheers to this years glass being half full.
Jack, things have become worse in the past year since the Obama Regime has had that amount of time to further their socialist agenda. The policy shift with respect to nuclear weapons is just one example. Rather than focusing their attention on creating PERMANENT jobs, and not temporary jobs such as Census workers, they are going down a path so dangerous that if it were the Republicans leading, there would be all hell to pay in the media! Sadly, because it is Obama, what will eventually be paid will make hell look like paradise!
I think you'd have to be a foolish right wing fear monger to say things are not better than they were a year ago! Of course things are way better than a year ago, we got President Obama elected as President he promises change and he's doing it! President Obama has been the savior of the United States, he saved and rescued this country when we all thought we wouldn't survive the mess of George W Bush! He passed a stimulus package that created and saved thousands of jobs, he saved thousands of people from losing unemployment benefits, he rescued the auto industry and banks and Wall Street from going under by the big massive bailout and then now he passes Health Care Reform 2010 so all Americans will have a chance to be healthy and not have to worry about weather or not you can afford to go to the doctor! The only thing right now as a Democrat that I have a problem with is this New Nuclear Policy between the U.S. & Russia because I don't trust alot of these foreign countries and at a time that we're living in today its not a good idea to stop making new nuclear weapons it makes the U.S. less safe in my opinion! All in all though if I were giving a grade I would give President Obama a B+++++++!
Scott Stodden (Freeport,Illinois)
Jack you can't have you cake and eat it too. In other words, you cannot expect to will things into existance without basic objective values being met. This infusion of money through the bailouts does have minor positive effects at the moment, but it is only a matter of time before people realize that there was no money to spend to begin with. The U.S is trillions in debt, the dollar is losing its worth due in no small part to it having no value standard behind it and absurd government regulations are preventing American innovators from actually creating objects of value that are desperately needed to truly replenish the economy.
In order for the economy to truly get better, you need hard values to be created. Not some kid maxing out a credit card with no way to pay back the debt.
Brian from Philadelphia, PA.
Things are far worse than a year ago. We are only 1/2 way through this recession with job creation is flat, real estate value is falling, interest rates are rising, bankers posting billion dollar profits and million dollar bonuses, commercial real estate with high vacancies, a Democratic and Republican divide that is tearing this country apart and to top it off, more wars and deficit spending....
Of the people that lost their jobs, I know of many whom may have found employment, but nothing in comparison of what they had in the past. We need to take back control of this country as American citizens, put our politics aside and demand the change that Obama gave us back in our pockets. We need to forget about what any main stream republican has to say. Democrats too.
We need an America guided by the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Everything else is BS.
Absolutely it is worse Jack. In January 2009 China had a total of 801 billion in U.S. treasury holdings. A year later in January 2010 it is now 889 billion and Jack that is just China and does not include other foreign held debt. The numbers do not lie Jack we are in deep, deep debt and still mounting it on.
(from Milwaukee) I think we're doing better. No question, we're better off than we were a year ago, but we have got a long way to go, before we'll even be comfortable again.
Do we remember how really bad things were at the end of the Bush/Cheney eight years? Yes we do.
After only one year of the Obama/Biden Administration we see the difference. Everything is getting better, some more quickly and some more slowly.
The next great depression train was stopped at the edge of the cliff and is being slowly pulled back. The horrible job losses has stopped and are starting to come back. The stock market has been climbing back. All American Citizens now have access to health care, and children can no longer be denied coverage. People are being helped now with foreclosures, or underwater properties. Along with other changes, we are much better off now.
Yes, we are better off than a year ago BUT you'll never hear it from a Republican or their baby sister the "Tea party" activists
Of course they are better than a year ago. We have a President that has seemed to have tackled more in one year than Bush did in 8 years. Sure everything is far from perfect but he Obama has shown leadership, persistence in giving us Health Reform and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his vision of a nuclear free world. No of course no one is perfect but we can at least strive for perfection.
EJ in Tacoma
Jack,
It is clear the economy is near bottom, possibly even beginning a sputtering recovery. But, politics in this country is at an all-time low, and has certainly worsened in the past year. You'd have to go back to the aftermath of the U. S. Civil War to find a time when politics was so clearly partisan, vindictive, and just plain mean-spirited. Gerrymandering makes it hard to boot these guys, but it is what we need to do to clean house, and get anything done. Maybe it is time for a Constitutional Amendment to define how states draw districts.
Rick,
Medina,OH
Jack our economy is not getting any better because we are running Enron type of economy (India and China will start consume any minute now). Our politions believe in prosperity religion (Bankers are doing Gods work of making politions rich) and they practice Tiger Woods morality. We know what happen to Enron.
Jack, From what you and Wolf keep telling me, Wall Street's doing great, and hasn't the American philosophy always been that if Wall Street's dancing in the streets, then everything coming up roses. Nationally, everything couldn't look better, it's always those states that won't do as their told that wind-up sliding into the mud, and trying to drag the rest of us "winners" down. It's a crying shame, I tell ya. Why the heck don't these "people" (I use the term loosely), pull themselves up by the bootstraps, and go find a great-paying job. What the crap is wrong with these no-good loafers. With all these great new factories opening up everyday, there's no reason why anyone who wants a good job, can't find one. It's high-time we send these dead-beats back to wherever they came from, and get them off government assistance. Layne A. Antioch, Il.
I think it is better now.
Job losses are down, homes are selling and less people are loosing their home.
It will take time but we are on the right track
I feel they are better in the country as a whole. Personally they are worse. I am retired and fliping houses to give me something to do. Last year I did two, one sold in two days and the other took three. I now have a home that has been on the market since the first of January and while we have had almost sixty showings, it has not sold.
My income otherwise is down about 20% but I am optimistic that things will improve slowly.
Viewing this from a distance, I see things as improving, albeit slowly. I see America as at a bit of crossroads socially and economically and the decisions to be made are not small or minor, or for that matter easy. Unemployment is the most immediate problem now and should be President Obama's priority but if the Republican's would concede a little more on some issues and stop fighting Obama on every little thing, you might see a little more progress.
Worse, most will say better, because Wall St. is doing better. People still keep their homes, no job's. How can we afford this new heath new health care plan? Jobs must come soon or this was all for not. I wish we would of let the banks fail and let the chips fall where they may.no bail out..... this is those with many taking advantage of those who have less.... in every aspect
INFINITELY BETTER. The recession ended last summer, women are no longer discriminated against in the workplace; they must now be paid as much as men who are doing the same job, middle class Americans are paying lower taxes, more students will be able to afford to go to college, we have health care . . . & all's right with the world!
•
Sorry Jack I know your trying your best to make our President look bad but your question should be "Do you think things are better or worse for the last 15 years?" It's called a "Global Economy". Millions and millions of jobs have left this country over the last 15 years and will continue to relocate outside of this country even as we recover from this recession. This recession has however shown us what is surely down the road for all of us with a global economy. How about 50% unemployment over the next 15 years. Sure we'll subsidize a business with our tax dollars to create jobs here and as soon as they are flourishing its Good Bye America-Hello China. Consider those jobs temporary. I can see janitors with a Masters/ PHD education. I encourage my fellow Americans to seriously think about what "Globalization" will do to you. How many years has it been since a foreign business has located here and created jobs for Americans.
No , things will only get worse when you have Ben Bernanke , Chairman of the Federal Reserve saying we still face a long road toward recovery . I didn't know that Bernanke was the President .
Things are definitely worse now than ayear ago. Yet, we keep getting all these reports fom A.P. saying the economy is recovering.I think they are smoking the same weed that King O'BAMA is smoking. !!!
Definitely better. And knowing that we have, for the first time in a long time, a future powered by even a passing interest in the lives of ordinary workers, instead of fatcats and industry lobbyists, is what makes me most optimistic. Come Hell or High Tea Baggers, this nation will turn the corner in to better, more just and more livable times. I can't wait (but I guess I will have to for a while yet)!
Any rebounds or improvements are doomed to be temporary unless our government starts resolving the underlying causes of our woes. So they've done nothing but thrown money at overpriced and underachieving answers to the symptoms.
Hi Jack,
America isn't in depression, unemployment isn't 20 % and we still have banks and a few car companies employing Americans, 32 million people just got access to health care and babies can't be refused medical care due to "pre existing conditions"... oh and this President has set a deadline for both of the two useless wars we were stuck in.
Ya, I think we are far better off then a year ago... now only if President Obama had come 5 or 8 years earlier when we weren't a broke country stuck in two bad wars could you imagine where America would have been.
Jesse J
Vancouver Canada
I believe that CURRENTLY we're better off than we were a year ago (e.g., the stock market), but the FUTURE is now worse off than it was a year ago due to government spending commitments.
Seattle, WA
Of course things are better statistically in America now compared to a year ago. The stock market was at a staggering low level in April of 2009 and job losses were still banging American confidence every week.
Having said that, to any one family, it depends on whether one or more members lost a job and is still underemployed. It also depends on whether that family is underwater on their mortgage or already foreclosed upon.
The overall situation is definitely looking up, but one's individual situation is all relative.
Jack;
It depends upon who you listen to. Be advised; I"I don't listen to Bernanke." Therefore. The answer is no, with things getting much worse in the short-term future.
I believe we are on the road to recovery, but we must remember this was not your ordinary recession. Job loss was huge. I don't think we know just how bad it really was. One thing is for certain, if we don't start regulating the banks and containing their growth, it will happen again, you can take that to the bank. So I guess my answer is that yes things are better, but for how long?
Things are about the same with less panic
Surely you jest ???
the stock market observed a spike of 3,000 yesterday,
the Job market is improving,
we passed healthcare after half a Century,
the GOP is self destructing,
Mike Steele is carrying on the tradition of republicans spending other peoples money like drunken sailors,
All is right with the World Jack !!!
and lest I forget, there is a strong possibility of a Michelle Bachmann /Sarah Palin Ticket in 2012 Thank Ya Jesus !!!
Its better:
Unemployment is down
The Dow is up 3,000 points (have you checked your 401ks?)
The NY Times reported that sales of luxury items is up 22%
Sales of speciality good is up 13.8%
Americans who are sick can not be denied healthcare
Americans whose kids are in college will be covered by the family insurance.
There is GOOD NEWS out there but its bad news that gets our attention!
That depends on where you stand, if you are a tax payer things are not good at all and they are getting worse with every announcement of a new program Obama intends to fund. If you are receiving the handouts, well things are looking pretty darn good your housing, food, energy and now health care is paid for, no need to get a job – others will pay your way and in short order we can add free high speed internet access to the list of free entitlements to the list.
Well, for the tax payer we realize that nothing is free, it is just a bill fewer and fewer people are responsible for paying. We are officially a nation entitled to everything, responsible for nothing and we are all victims ad thank god the government is here to take care of us all.
Before today I was willing to say yes, but then read the article by Matt taibbi in rolling stones march issue. Very eye opening re wall street and what we have coming down the road towards us. Light at the end of the tunnel might be a train after all!
I am a Middle of the road Optomist.I see the Glass as Half Full,And Both Half Empty.
I see Choas and Anarchy running Ramped Globally,And it is already Begun.
Zolicon
Things are definetly BETTER! Last year, before Bush left office, the economy was headed off a cliff. Some economists were talking about a Depression. NOW, we are no longer worried about a depression, and we are no longer worried about going off a cliff, instead we have made a positive turn, jobs are growing again for the first time in 3 years. The GDP has also grown by over 3% as well . We are definelty going in the right direction.
Jack, It depends on who you ask, if you are still out of work it is still very very bad, but if your are one of those 162,000 that got employed last Month America is back. But if you wanna know the answer? Ask John Boehner and Sarah Palin, for in their minds freedom has ended and there is amagedon all over USA.
Absolutely! I'm still unemployed, but I'm seeing more job postings. More people seem to be buying and selling.
Well, its certainly better for Wall Street. Privatized profits and socialized losses always are. And since that’s all we seem to manufacture these days, profits out of thin air, us Main Streeters won’t be seeing the light at the end of this tunnel anytime soon.
Jack,
Sorry to have to tell you it matters not one whit what the majority of US citizens think. The country is owned and run by the very rich and that is less than 10% of the population
When and if the rich decide to hire and bring US jobs back from over seas then life will start to get better for most of us. If they decide to give up the two deficit funded wars then we can start to balance our budget and life will get better. But they love raiding the public treasurery with their bail outs, billions in tax cuts and bonuses so we shall see.
My stocks are up; my 401K is up. Healthcare has taken a step forward.
I'd like to see unemployment come down but on the whole, things are better.
Obviously things are getting better! It's going to take a while to fix things, people need to patient.
Definitely better than a year ago. Would have liked it to be even better but... definitely moving in the right direction though.
Typical pollster's question, Jack. Why does it have to be "better" or "worse"? Why can't it be "the same"?
Sarah
Denver, CO
Better – the Dow is up huge – enough said.
It is past time for the government of the United States of America to replace itself with a more stable, reliable, and trustworthy form of governorship. The current recession has been altruistic in its means.Things WILL get worse. People grow weary of no jobs, even less money, and the disappearance of government support. With the people’s morale at all time lows, they look to a government to provide them with the support they need to continue living with their daily lives. When a man or woman cannot become the daily breadwinner for their families, a sense of overwhelming dread consumes them, and the anger and frustration that they feel is directed towards the 'Big Brother.' This in turn is used by the media as propaganda to belittle the government and cause widespread dissemination. A civilization at it’s peak can be cast down in a matter of year. There is an ongoing pattern that seems to repeat itself for every civilization that has yet survived history books. Where do we stand?
Miami Fl – definitely things are better than they were one year ago. Locally, the housing market is still troubled, but the stock market is now stable, gas prices are much more stable than one year ago. Employment is still troubled, but not catastrophic as it was looking one year ago.
We are better off (just a wee bit) today. The direction we were going one year ago and the speed in which we were traveling to get there, had something not been done, we would not be here today. While many may disagree, the President does deserve some, not all, but some of the credit. He did some unpopular things that now make us look like a cruise ship making a wide turn into the right direction. Ask me again in 5 years.
It is in worse condition that it was a year ago. The equation is simple math...we have less money in government coffers than we did last year, due to a lot of wasteful legislature and even trickle down things such as the continuance of huge fireworks (money gone up in smoke) from NASA which is money "burned through".
Jack,
Do you even have to ask the question? Unemployment is still up, the "bailouts" have not proven any improvement in the economy and the country is less secure by the White House's announcements of departure dates in Iraq and Afghanistan. I felt good 12 months ago that Obama was going to turn the ship but all he has done thus far is given bums health care.
Jack, all the signs are there: This economy is clawing back to stability.
unemployment is still too high. There will be more foreclosures. Net:
The economy is growing again. Getting healthier.
Ken Humphrey, Emerald Isle,NC
Jack, I just drove 500 miles of backroads.... I have never seen so many closed businesses.... depressing. Things are definitely worse.
To tell you the truth Jack, my community has been at recession status for as long as i can remember so I say things are about the same. The mainstream only cares now because they are having to tighten belts.
Reynard
Louisiana
The economy is better than a year ago. Sure we aren't back to the prosperity of several years ago, but we're certainly moving the right direction.
jack.... here in nc it still seems about the same, jobs still going to illegal immigrants. taxes always and still on the rise especially for small businesses . what they don't think we notice? and how about them gas prices? Here they have dropped ONE cent... WOW
Worse over all !
Better for the Health Benefit Reform because I got the COBRA on the subsitdy for 15 weeks and with the pre existing condition i will be able to buy the insurance (health)
Worse for the Unemployment
I like President Obama and am proud of everything he has done or is doing but – He was in a BIG HOLE to begin with when he got in the office so I cannot blame him for it.
I will vote for him again and again and again
Manav
Jack, I'm in banking and I deal with hundreds of business owners. I can say with certainty that the consensus is that business is up, profits are returning, but not enough to start hiring people back yet. The economy is headed in the right direction, but it seems Wall Street is moving at lightning speed while small businesses are the "lagging indicator"
Thankfully, things are looking up for me. In April last year, I was laid off. Literally, 15 minutes ago, I was offered a part-time job paying 25% of what I earned previously. I happily took the position.
I pray other long-term unemployeds can find something as well.
Things for my business, a tattoo shop, are definitely better. Tattooing is (for most people) not a necessity, so when the economy turns down, industries like mine usually suffer first. I've been in my present location for 18 years and have seen ups and downs in the economy. It may not be the go-go Nineties, but things are for sure looking up.
"Do you think things in the U.S. are better or worse than a year ago?"
It's so relative. And which things?
To me America is a figurative dilapidated house and has been for some time. Just lots of people don't know it.
Government is good at replacing a couple bricks, taking a post from here and putting it there.
But it's still a dilapidated building and sensible citizens are holding up the roof with their bare hands.
Things are much worse than one year ago. Local antique show....No one was buying ....holding on to their money...No hiring...waiting to see what tax burden there is.
Of course it's better than 1 year ago! The stock market is back and I have at least regained some of the money I lost. We now have passed health care reform and my fears of healthcare coverage are greatly reduced. We FINALLY got the biggest mistake this country has ever made out of office: George Bush. Anyone who is complaining about how thing are now – your memory is short term. We just left a dishonest administration who dug the financial whole we got ourselves into. If you can't see that Obama has a millioin times smarter and has a lot more integrity than the last then you just don't get it.
The country is a lot better this year than last year! The horrible economy from 2007 through the middle of 2009 was all inherited and now things are turning around! Contract jobs are starting to appear more now and there is greater hope in the air!
YES, WE ARE BETTER OFF TODAY!
It's a degree of bad. If you had asked before the health care vote, I would have said "better" but now when you look at the new taxes and the ramifications of the bill, I have to say "worse". Our country is in deep ducky doo.
Things are better. President Obama is trying hard to lead the country in the right direction. I have faith in his leadership and I am behind him all the way. (Alexandria, VA)
My husband and I are better off, but I don't think the country is out of the woods. Just having Republicans out of control of Congress, we are better off.
I do not think so, When pople are out of work more than a year. Jobs are taken away and given to other countries for cheaper labor. Bottom line people are very greedy. The gap of poverty is getting greater and greater.
Things appear to be better in the US now than a year ago. I still don't have a job but all in all things appear to be improving.
Jack, I just got an email from someone who is in the know about Massey Energy Company and the mining situation in West Virginia. As long as negligence, greed and corruption keep those miners in danger then our Country hasn't gotten any better. And it in fact is worse because the USA has had one more year to improve safety in the mines and hasn't done so.
Things across the board are better...A year ago, there were daily announcements that banks were on the edge of failure, all the carmakers were going bankrupt, and jobs were being lost at an alarming rate..Things are still tough, but getting better each month. The unemployment rate is unfortunately a lagging indicator, and better times are ahead..That is unless you re-elect the idiots that did you in over the previous Presidency...
One wonders if there is a lower limit on an the gullability of people who follow someone who is 30% WRONG. I don't mean regular couch potatoes...but elite private corporate economists, jounalists, politicians and power players. If the brutal truth of things aren't shown in REAL time...we are bound to fall off cliffs. Reality must be useful to be truthful. Sadly for a long peiod we have been duped by the powerful. Until the FED is an OPEN BOOK...we'll continue to be duped...I mean the ELITE...the couch potatoes know and don't care. No we are no better off, nor worse off. Stuck in ineptitude.
If one could see things as they truly are without the misinformation and negativity from the right, it would be obvious that things are better.
It is past time for the government of the United States of America to replace itself with a more stable, reliable, and trustworthy form of governorship. The current recession has been altruistic in its means.Things WILL get worse. People grow weary of no jobs, even less money, and the disappearance of government support. With the people’s morale at all time lows, they look to a government to provide them with the support they need to continue living with their daily lives. When a man or woman cannot become the daily breadwinner for their families, a sense of overwhelming dread consumes them, and the anger and frustration that they feel is directed towards the 'Big Brother.' This in turn is used by the media as propaganda to belittle the government and cause widespread dissemination. A civilization at it’s peak can be cast down in a matter of year. There is an ongoing pattern that seems to repeat itself for every civilization that has yet survived history books. Where do we stand?
Fort Madison, IA
Jack, I think the country is in better shape today than a year ago. But still a ways to go on a number of fronts. Better question might be "how do you think the country is doing" and "how are you doing?"
I would answer that I am doing very well but I know that many are hurting right now. I know some that would claim things are terrible in the country that are doing very well in their own lives.
This is the kind of question that pollsters use to force a point. I don't think anyone will say that things aren't better thus forcing a nice graph on the right direction/wrong direction. Behind the question is they are barely a hair better albeit better so yes the minute direction is positive. Giving the amount of time that has passed since the financial crisis broke it is very obvious that the wrong thing – bailing out wallstreet – only took 2 seconds and fixing the problems created by wallstreet for everyone else is still nagging all this time later. They had one small election that showed how the ones painfully waiting for things to get better will vote their anger. A much bigger election is coming and if they continue to give us more lip service than action the result will be just as bad next time for incumbents.
67% say worse? There are so many different factors, including if the person was yelled at by their boss today. I spent the last two months in an intense job application process, and ended up not getting the job. I don't like my current job. Yet, I still think the U.S. is better off than it was one year ago. Why? Because I don't just think about myself. I don't need health reform, but many people do; I don't need a job, but other people do. The war doesn't affect me, but it's eating away at the hopes and dreams of so many families. I don't believe that 67% of Americans are in distress.
One-third of us are still either unemployed or working part-time because we can't find full-time jobs. Those of us who are working are having our wealth taxed and redistributed. Now Obama wants illegal aliens to keep 8,5 million of our jobs as our newest citizens, then he wants to increase our electric bills by $1,000 to $3,000/year and break the coal industry. He's introduced a budget that will spend 1/3 more than our GDP over 10 years and now gets to tell me and my home state what to buy. He's provoking our allies and the world's maniac leaders and has just invited rouge states and terrorists to attack us with chemical or biological weapons. And 48% of us approve of this. So things must be much lovelier than a year ago here in paradise.
I'm still out of work. I'm still alive, guess that counts.
Don't see any jobs running loose.
I do think things are on the way up now. where else could it go? we were down as low as we could get in this country, thanks to the republicans and now they want us to think they have our interest in mind.
I think thing are much better for the one's that didn't make bad decisions 4 or 5 years ago by buying things that they couldn't afford , but the smarter one's that didn't live or spend beyond thier needs are noticing the change quicker than rest.
Too bad some of us will have to wait to feel the change.
Things may be better now, this 2010 is a dead-ringer for 2008. Gas prices on the rise and the stock market artificially on the rise. Look out for October.
Much worse Jack. We're accumulating debt at an incomprehendable rate. More stimulus money would ensure helping foreign economies but nothing for us since we don't make anything any more. We are just pushing our day of reckoning down the road. We need a change of course from the one we have been following for thirty years. Democrat or Republican, same path except for the issues that will keep us divided, thus unable to change direction.
Jack,
It depends on your point of view. America's an addict who 'was' going through withdrawal in 2002. Then to the rescue came Pusher Bush and his sidekicks "Frothy" Greenspan, Helicopter Ben and Robin "Obama" Hood. Now we're all better...
Just high as can be.
I think the country is definitely better off than a year ago. It depends on whether respondents have a job or have health insurance. Fortunately in the not too distant future, everyone will have health insurance.
Definitely worse, as a small business owner I can feel it on every corner. It's probably better for big companies and corporations due to their international exposure and due to the rebound in the stock market. We – the "small business owners" are not certain about the future cost of health care, additional tax burden we'll have to carry.
And needless to mention we are the major force behind the real recovery.
By the end of the Bush administration my 401K was down by more than 1/2 of what it had been. It had been going down since the Bush tax cuts went into effect. Just since the Obama administration took over I have made back over 1/2 of what it took me all those years to loose. I don't know about anyone else, but I am lots better off than I was a year ago. If and when the Republicans take over again, I am going to clear out my 401K before they have a chance to plunder my account again.
It's better than a year ago. I'm a Realtor; a year ago I could not find a client or a job. This year I have both..YEAH!
Thanks,
Deborah
Don't know about the rest of america,but eastern kentucky is sure down from the same time last year.
The only people better off today are the Wall Street bankers and the Chinese. Congress needs new blood and new ideas, of which Congress has neither. All incumbents must go!
Better... just look at the Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq, compared to a year ago.
Well the rich are getting richer and the middleclass has slipped to the poorer class.Most of the middleclass is now poorer then they were last year for sure.Stocks are up yeah everyone with moneys taking advantage people with professions can take advantage of lower prices. The poorer people and the elderly are loosing everything!Sure but the economy is rebounding according to stocks and greenspan.Its obvious the wealthy people are driving this economic recovery.Just wait it will get worse.
There's no question that we have backed away from the cliff that we were driven to by 2009. jobs are always last to recover when a recession ends...the question is, can Obama come through with the high-tech good paying jobs he has promised in the energy sector and elsewhere. That"s what this country needs most...a solid recovery where the government helps to stimulate GOOD, living-wage jobs.
As far as I am concerned, it's better. One year ago, I was working 30 to 35 hours a week. For the past two weeks I'm back at 40. I work at a call center which is a place that takes phone orders for other companies. We're receiving more orders than ever from our most upscale client and I've received a $50.00 bonus for making the most sales from another client that does radio ads. Last year, we were worried our company would close. Now people were I work are doing as well as ever. But this time around, flexibility is key–there is no such thing as business as usual.
Hi Jack,
I work in manufacturing-contract machining. A year ago we were on the ropes and laying off. Our work started to increase around the end of April, and has continued with more and larger orders. We set an all time record in December and are expecting a record year in 2010. We have been hiring all the skilled machinists we can find (not many unfortunately.)
Dennis
Hi Jack, I'm in Reno, Nv. My house has taken a big dump in value, as has a condo I own in Florida. I will survive. What concerns me is that the unemployment rate here in Nevada is around 13%, but I work for a large Casino, and at this point in time we have over 30 job openings that they can't fill. We need to quit extending unemployment so people have to go back to work. I know of people who aren't even looking for work..but are content to sit back and draw. It ticks me off that I'm paying for them to stay home. We will recover, and I'm very proud of my President. Mary
I'd say better. My IRA has been growing, even though I haven't made any additional contributions. Friends are finding good, high paying jobs. I'm hearing of homes being bought and housing prices going back up. I'm seeing construction around my city.
we are very much worse off, and the worse hasnt happened yet.
Jack – I think the media is blowing this whole "better/worse" thing out of proportion. I live in a very economically depressed area of this country, but people are still paying $54 per carton for cigarettes, the movie theatres are packed at $10.00 per ticket, you have to wait in line at restaurants in the evening and there are more gas guzzling pick-up trucks that I can count. Looks like things are about the same. If certain people can make this country look bad by whining and moaning their messages of gloom and doom, they will. The others will keep quiet and keep shopping!!! Just let a few news cycles show "improvements" and sentiments will follow right behind.
I'm just glad we don't have to live with the every other day, red, orange alert. By the way, whatever happened to those.
YES, thing are much much better April 7th, 2010 than they were on the same date 1 year ago
If you are a new federal employee or you have just received federal grant money, banks, or car manufacturers, things may be better for you. However, I just closed my retail business on 1 April. Housing, building, or any other construction businesses, or anyone who rely on construction are in deep trouble and we see no light at the end of the tunnel. That means the economy, for most of us, sucked last year and sucks even more this year. I'm worse off this year than last. Mr. Obama. "It's the economy, stupid."
My neighbors' are still facing foreclosure and losing jobs, I'm still upside down on my mortgage and I still see the number of empty houses rise. You tell me it's better, yeah only if you enjoy ghost towns with lower house prices than what you paid for.
no things are not better, we are still losing jobs and they don't mention the fact that when your unemployment runs out they don't count you and that is why we here of unemployment going down. i am also aware that the stock market has nothing to do with how good the economy is but just a means of making people think it is
Look at the price at the pumps creeping up again and that should answer the question. Cut out all the other things that separate the "haves" from the "have nots" and the over-inflated price of gas at the pumps should be obvious to anyone that Wall Street is back to its old tricks and we are just along for the ride. No, things are not better and unless Obama does something about capping off how much the rich can rip-off the rest of us, it won't get better.
Better overall. Banks are solvent, US autos sales are on the increase, stock market is still on the rise, health care reform passed , the government is working with banks to help reduce the number of house foreclosures by lowering mortgage payments for many, foreign nations are more "friendly" since Obama took the reigns.
This is all good, but until more people get back to work and can feed their families and pay their mortgages, the rest will all seem like smoke and mirrors!
HOWEVER the one thing that makes me feel that things are worse is the rise of the angry right. This has me very upset. Their rise feels like a return to the wild west and I DON"T LIKE IT ONE BIT.
Jack we'll know things are better when we can start shipping jobs over sea's once again.
Lynn Mi.
Gas is going to stay at 3$, interest rates are going to jump.
I believe we are having an Economic Indian Summer, very soon it is going to hit the fan.
From my perspective the U.S. is doing much better than last year. I still have a job, my 401k looks MUCH better, and cars and housing are much more affordable. Things are clicking here, but I suppose if I lived in Detroit, I would have a different answer. (By the way, your graphic is way out of touch - suits aren't worn west of the Mississippi except for weddings none of us get invited to)
As a small businessman, things are definately better. I work with other local businesses and they are all busier than last year and cautiuosly optimistic. There's a lot of uncertainty but the feeling is positive.
I think things are better. Don't forget we came out of 8 years of Bush!
WORSE The US is in a "Depression." We are more in Debt. 25 Million people out of work, Government increased fees for services almost equal our cost of use for Telephone, Electricity, Natural Gas and Water. Almost everything has doubled in price over 2008.
We also have a less than Paper Tiger for a president. He is good at spending Our money.
Things aren't great, but getting better. Job losses are down, with signs of eventual job growth. The wars are still in full bloom, but there is optimism that there may be an end in site. We have some measure of healthcare reform that will help allot in the long run. There may be financial regulatory reform on the horizon. Obama has improved our image internationally. If we could get our greedy corporations, political propaganda and hypocritical politicians under control, America might not be such a bad place to live again.
you got to be kidding me... when the democrates took over congress the unemployment rate was 4.6% and the deficite was $158 billion.. and where are we now...
No i do not think things are better or that they are gettting better.
A few years ago the Boston skyline was covered with cranes(alot were for Big Dig but not all) . . New buildings were going up and buildings were beinr refurbished/updated. Those things are non existent now. The building trades unemployment is high and has not gotten better over the last year. All over the state there are signs on the highways touting ARRA but the work has not begun. Until the building trades are back to work this recession will continue. Repaving roads adds minimal jobs compared to a new buildng which employs many trades and the trucks for shipmets, vendors,. etc. ARRA has not helped – Plain and simple
Rick From Boston
Well when you look at unemployment the highest it's been in years. The value of our dollar has fallen. Oil is starting to creep up and no telling where it will top off.
I would definitely say we are somewhat worst than a year ago. Also the HC bill going to break the bank... Deficit the highest I can remember in my 70 years of life. How can anyone say we are better off today than one year ago. This president is to radical. I didn't vote for him... He probably is trying his best, but lets face it. He didn't have the answer to our problems , in fact he has created new ones that will probably last beyond my life...
Absolutely things are better!! Considering the "entrenched interests" that would have you think otherwise – and thus are incessantly assailing consumer confidence – things are going swimmingly. President Obama's steady, focused leadership is working.
(Funny "Mister(s) Patriotic" Limbaugh/Beck/Hannity, would have the US economy languish for months solely for opportunity to declare clearly demonstrated failed policies victorious)
I'm a Democrat – what do you think I'll say? Yes things are bad. I've been unemployed for more than 6 months, and yet it does seem as if things are turning around. I hope that somehow, that jobs begin to come around. I am concerned however, that corporate America is still to greedy to recognize the role it has to play in making this come to fruition.
These folks who really believe things are better then they were a year ago, I want some of the happy pills they're on.
The dollar has been on the decline ever sence 1913.
The dollar isnt backed by anything, most of the factories in
the US are in other countries, and we wonder why people
can not find jobs.
PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO WORK FOR THE GREEN
BACK TO SPEND ON MERCHANDISE.
So to answer the question, things are going to keep getting
worse.
Things are better and moving in the right direction, but we would make even better and faster progress if the Republicans focused less on running for office and more on working on the issues that are important to our country and they might even gain some respect in the process. It's time for everyone on both sides of the isle to roll up their sleeves and work together.