Candidate Mitt Romney keeps focusing on the question, in a number of ads on TV, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” That is a very interesting question and one I think that has a number of different answers.
Do you think that Mitt Romney is better today than he was four years ago? He will not show us his tax returns, but my suspicion would be that his net worth today is significantly higher than it was four years ago. In light of the evidence that the gap between the poor and the middle class and the upper one percent continues to grow wider, my hunch would be that most of Mitt Romney’s friends are better off today than they were four years ago. So I would suspect that Mr. Romney would have to answer that question with a “Yes. He is better off.
The next level of response is that if you have a retirement program linked to the stock market and you did not change it, sell it or empty it, you are better off today than you were four years ago. The market has hit a five year high. Your retirement program, any pension program that has investments in the stock market that have been managed well or indexed to the market are better off and more secure than they were four years ago.
The next level is that there are millions now who have health insurance who did not have it four years ago. They are better off now than they were four years ago. Students who are now covered by their parents insurance longer. Pre-existing conditions have not prevented people from getting health coverage.There is a consumer protection division that is at work to protect all of us from fraud. There have been four million jobs added in the last four years. There had to be a major stopping of the job loss under Bush and the beginning of job growth and that has happened. Those four million people are better off than they were four years ago.
We are all better off today than we would have been under four more years of the Republican philosophy of trickle down economy. The academic economists who argue for Romney’s plan have all said that tax increase are going to have to happen to make his plan work. The tax increases are described as closing loop holes in the tax law that gives large benefits to various programs. But there will have to be increased revenue even in Romney’s plan for it to work. The “Supply Side Trickle Down” myth did not work under Reagan nor Bush. It added more to the deficit than any period in history since Eisenhower. Obama’s addition to the deficit is the smallest since Eisenhower. There is no telling how deep of a mess we would all be in if Obama had not been elected. We are all better off than we would have been. Romney’s question is an interesting question. Yeah, there are some real problems that have to be solved but they have to be solved together and that is the greatest challenge.
Wrong Mr. Brand–If you have supplemental health coverage and/ or drug coverage–it will change the coming year–co pays on tier drug plan go down .
Also, check the news–the mideast is in shambles. Obama is hanging Israel out to dry. Still and all–for your side–the media seems to agreee with you–so you are better off in your own mind–congrats.
Rick, all of you county party chairman must write from the same script. I was in another county and read a letter to a newspaper almost identical to yours. I guess all of you guys feed from the same trough and then regurgitate the same crap. By the way, Rick, the stock market is just reacting to the Fed’s mindless shenanigans. Every financial advisor that I deal with is shuddering over the possibilty of four more years of Obama.
I sure wish I had that non-taxable housing allowance that preachers get. Then I would be better off than I was before. By the way, Rick, I filled up my car with gas today and it cost me $77.20. I keep my receipts and the same amount of gas almost exactly four years ago was $38.50. My wife says that she is spending about 50% more at the grocery store than four years ago. So I am better off, huh? Yeah, and pigs fly.
There are brokers who are bears and bulls. The fact still remains that the market today is higher than it was five years ago. I will take my stand with Warren Buffet on Trickle down supply side not working.
I thank Royal Rooter for his personal attacks because such arguments, attacks on people, rather than on the issue, always argue in favor of the one attacked. When all else fails, make it a personal attack.
Am I better off? To put it politely”NO”. My retirement account has been stagnet for the past 4 years; gains a little, loses more, etc. I am making more money than I was 4 years ago, but spending more for food, and other items. I have to agree with the gas prices because everything you buy is affected by petroleum/gas. But Obama said the other night that we are less dependant on gas/petroleum than ever before. Well, I guess so because people are driving less, can’t afford to buy the gas and cars are more fuel effecient than 4 years ago
Why do people continue to put up with Obama and his excuses. Why do people continue to blame Romney and hold him accountable for his business. If he is rich, so what? that means he is succesful.
This is such a bogus issue. When I go to a doctor, I want the best doctor there is. I don’t care how wealthy he is. I don’t care what his tax returns say. I don’t care what he looks like, how “likeable” somebody thinks he is. I want somebody who knows what he’s doing. Mitt Romney knows what he’s doing. He is the go to doctor. He is the one who can turn this country around and get it back on the right track. Mr. Brand, your economic arguments are uninformed. Are you old enough to remember what Jimmy Carter did to this country? Obama is Carter on steroids. Reagan got us out of it. Romney will do the same.
“Do you think that Mitt Romney is better today than he was four years ago? He will not show us his tax returns”
Things Obama won’t show us.
school records
passports
college theses
Illinois Bar Assc. Admittance Certificate
law school records
Illinois State Senate files
Original vault copy (long form) birth certificate
Certificate of live birth (short form)
Occidental College records
Columbia University records
Columbia University thesis
Harvard Law School records
Harvard Law Review articles
Just a partial list.
WHY?
Mr. Brand is to be admired for his courage in continuing to post about how great everything is in America after 6 years of Democrat rule. I make a point not to criticize him or our President personally but he and his party have no problem personally attacking Mitt Romney and the vicious attacks on George Bush before him were unconscionable. They villify Romney for being a successful businessman; they denigrate his wife Ann, who has battled MS and breast cancer, for her decision to stay home and successfully raise their 5 sons. His idignation rings hollow.
Are we better off than we were 4 years ago? No matter which statistic you examine, the answer is a resounding NO. Google them all – poverty rate, gas prices, number of Americans employed, number on food stamps, GDP, deficit level, consumer confidence, insurance rates, and now Middle East violence and explosion of hatred for America……I can not think of a single area where the country is better off.
The stock market had a jump this week when the Fed made the unbelievable move to try and stave off an economic collapse by printing more money – at an unlimited amount – that will ultimately make everything we buy more expensive as the US dollar will buy far less than it did the week before. Make no mistake, every American WILL pay for this irresponsible action. Does Mr. Brand honestly believe that those who have their retirement anchored in the stock market feel “better off and more secure” than they did 4 years ago after such a reckless move?
Health insurance rates have increased by over 20% and our family can personally attest to that fact. A blanket policy to accept those that have a preexisting condition breaks down the whole system. Why should we buy health insurance when we can simply wait until we get sick or have an accident to get our insurance, we feel like fools playing into this game. Reasonable plans to deal with those preexisting conditions were ignored when the Obamacare debate was raging.
“Obama’s addition to the deficit is the smallest since Eisenhower.” I have read many outright lies from the Democrats but this one takes the cake. President Obama and the Democrat Congress have increased our deficit by a trillion dollars every year since he has been in office. They have not passed a budget in 3 years. They have no plans to reduce spending.
Democrats play with people’s lives by promising them endless free food and pay for not working and never admit that the system they have created is on the verge of collapse. What will happen to our society when one day those cards don’t work at Food Lion or the checks suddenly stop coming or are worthless when cashed at the local bank? Democrats claim that the rich have to pay more of their “fair share” but ignore that if the govt seized every penny it would never be enough to solve the horrible financially unsustainable position our country finds itself in today. Kill the producers that generate all the tax revenue that pays for everything and then what happens? It is immoral to expect some people to work and give away the fruits of their labor when it is just as easy to stay home and wait for free money to come to their house, presented as a gift from the generous govt, never acknowledged that it has been stolen from another man or woman, as a reward for their poor life decisions.
This election is a stark choice between 2 philosophies. The Republicans will return our society to one based on individual liberty as promised in our Constitution. The unique American system has been responsible for more prosperity and a higher standard of living for every person than at any other time in history. As America has drifted away from these core principles, our country has desintigrated on every social and economic level.
The Democrats promise further support of what can only be described as Communist values and policys. Their condemnation of the free market system, the constant destruction of Christian values, the grouping of individuals into helpless, mindless victims – all are classic tactics to destroy our Democrat traditions. And what has history shown communism brought to the world? Misery, death by the millions in the name of the greater good, poverty and the dissolution of indivudual freedom.
Why does Mr. Brand cling to this brutal and devious plan that betrays the core of Christian morality?
Mr. Brand, I have not attacked you personally…merely pointed out that you receive special tax breaks that the rest of us don’t, but wish we had. Unfortunately I choose the wrong field, I guess. When I started college, I took an aptitude test and the test showed a tie between becoming a minister or farming. I choose farming which was a mistake since I could have made more money shoveling manure as a preacher.
Obama is off again this morning to a battle ground state–Ohio. The price of gas doesn’t seem to bother him–not the state of affairs in the Middle East. Has he missed another Security meeting?
Oil is closing in on $100.00 a barrel, We will probably be seeing $4.00+ for a gallon of gas by the end of september if not sooner !! Am i better off than four years ago? YEA RIGHT!!
Does anyone have a list of the Executive Orders of the last 4 years?
2001 – bush – 54
2002 – bush – 31
2003 – bush – 41
2004 – bush – 45
2005 – bush – 26
2006 – bush – 27
2007 – bush – 32
2008 – bush – 30
2009 – bush – 5
2009 – obama – 39
2010 – obama – 35
2011 – obama – 34
2012 – obama – 27
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/disposition.html
Look at the nature of Pres Obama’s executive orders.
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=13&f=2937&t=9364810
or google Laurie Roth and the subject
Dagny, did you even read that link you posted? You and whoever Laurie Roth is are flat out wrong.
anon3, I read and swallowed hook, line and sinker and stand corrected, initial comparisons to the sight you provided show none of the numbers match up, hers are out of series. Now on a mission to find out who she is and to understand exactly the executive orders. Please disreguard the above link of misinformation.
Thank you Dagny, very commendable.
To explain to all, the info appears to be from here: http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/fema_executive_orders.htm
The Executive Orders mentioned are all old, the latest EO in their list was issued by Ronald Reagan. The first one mentioned was EO # 10990 which was issued in year 1962 and was for Reestablishing the Federal Safety Council not “allows the Government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.”
I understand Obama has issued EO’s that are harmful to some and I disagree with, just as all previous presidents have. But that list is completely incorrect.
Wonder how many “love offerings” have been taken up by ‘certain’ Churches in order to have the $$$$ to fill the vans/cars/trucks up so that they can transport voters to the polls to vote for Obama? He will certainly get the majority of votes in Vance County b/c of the desire of those unwilling to work to continue to feed from the public trough. Keep it up and USA will be known not for the United States of America but instead:”U…Sit…Around”!!!! Better get him out while we still have a lil’ hope left.
Link to a reliable source to review executive orders by year in summary form:
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/executive_orders.php?year=2012&Submit=DISPLAY
the biggest gainers have been Pawn Shops