Reagan vs Obama: Raw Numbers of the 1st two years

[Vast LWC]

Reagan, February 1981 (beginning of 1st Term):

Unemployment: 7.4%
Approval Rating: 55% (the 66% approval ratings were in March)

Reagan, February 1983:

Unemployment: 10.4% (+3.0%)
Approval Rating: 35% (-20%)

Obama, February 2009 (beginning of 1st Term):

Unemployment: 8.2%
Approval Rating: 68%

Obama, February 2011:

Unemployment: 9.0% (+0.8%)
Approval Rating: 50% (-18%)

Sources:

Presidential Popularity Over Time

The United States Unemployment Rate

Just the numbers. Let the spin begin.

 

[percysunshine]

'Reagan vs Obama'

For some weird reason...I am having a 'Blazing Saddles' flash back...

 

[Vast LWC]

As far as the numbers go, Obama is looking significantly better than Reagan.

Now, I'm not Reagan bashing here, personally I kind of liked him, but it just seems odd to me that the same people who idolize Reagan are loud critics of Obama's performance so far.

 

[Truthmatters]

Its called revision of history.

The facts are not in their favor so they change them

 

[percysunshine]

Its called revision of history.

The facts are not in their favor so they change them

You sound experienced in this field of study.

 

[Jeremy]

Its called revision of history.

The facts are not in their favor so they change them

You sound experienced in this field of study.

She's the leading expert here.

 

[Trajan]

As far as the numbers go, Obama is looking significantly better than Reagan.

Now, I'm not Reagan bashing here, personally I kind of liked him, but it just seems odd to me that the same people who idolize Reagan are loud critics of Obama's performance so far.

uh huh..when did the recession end in Reagans term?

 

[Truthmatters]

tell yus how you feel about the numbers presented by the OP?

history is not in your favor

 

[Vast LWC]

As far as the numbers go, Obama is looking significantly better than Reagan.

Now, I'm not Reagan bashing here, personally I kind of liked him, but it just seems odd to me that the same people who idolize Reagan are loud critics of Obama's performance so far.

uh huh..when did the recession end in Reagans term?

Why? Does it change the situation that it took longer for Reagan to end the recession?

 

[Vast LWC]

There were two entirely different recessions.

The first recession, known as the "Second Oil Shock Recession" was over in July of 1980, before Reagan took office.

The second recession in the early 80's, known as the "Volcker Recession" began in August of 1981 and lasted officially for 16 months.

http://www.econ.tcu.edu/harvey/50453/recessions.pdf

 

[boedicca]

Wait until inflation really heats up and get back to us.

Reagan began office with double digit inflation that required a recession to tame.

Obama began office with virtually non-existent official inflation. Now, with commodity, energy and food price inflation burgeoning, the impact on consumers will increase over the next couple of years (despite the exclusion of food and energy from the index).

The Misery Index trend was favorable for Reagan due to his policies. For Obama, it is unfavorable for the same reason: his policies.

The United States Misery Index By Year

 

[Sallow]

As far as the numbers go, Obama is looking significantly better than Reagan.

Now, I'm not Reagan bashing here, personally I kind of liked him, but it just seems odd to me that the same people who idolize Reagan are loud critics of Obama's performance so far.

uh huh..when did the recession end in Reagans term?

I kinda think of the economy during the Reagan administration the same as a "cocaine high". Felt good..but all in all very damaging. It took George HW Bush to make some real fixes that cost him the presidency.

As in..he did what was good for the country while sacrificing himself politically.

 

[boedicca]

I kinda think of the economy during the Reagan administration the same as a "cocaine high". Felt good..but all in all very damaging. It took George HW Bush to make some real fixes that cost him the presidency.

As in..he did what was good for the country while sacrificing himself politically.

You are confusing Reagan with Clinton.

The bubble dotcom/telecom/Y2K economy was a faux era of growth.

Reagan tames inflation and enabled the real economy to create jobs.

 

[Sallow]

Wait until inflation really heats up and get back to us.

Reagan began office with double digit inflation that required a recession to tame.

Obama began office with virtually non-existent official inflation. Now, with commodity, energy and food price inflation burgeoning, the impact on consumers will increase over the next couple of years (despite the exclusion of food and energy from the index).

The Misery Index trend was favorable for Reagan due to his policies. For Obama, it is unfavorable for the same reason: his policies.

The United States Misery Index By Year

Um..that was the Paul Volcker "recession".

Reagan had nothing to do with it.

And Obama began his term with a huge recession bordering on outright depression. And a 0% interest rate. It was the beginning of an economic collapse heralded by George W. Bush.

 

[Vast LWC]

Wait until inflation really heats up and get back to us.

Reagan began office with double digit inflation that required a recession to tame.

Obama began office with virtually non-existent official inflation. Now, with commodity, energy and food price inflation burgeoning, the impact on consumers will increase over the next couple of years (despite the exclusion of food and energy from the index).

The Misery Index trend was favorable for Reagan due to his policies. For Obama, it is unfavorable for the same reason: his policies.

The United States Misery Index By Year

Are we looking at the same chart here? As far as I can see, year-by-year, the Misery index is favoring Obama, by quite a lot.

 

[boedicca]

Wait until inflation really heats up and get back to us.

Reagan began office with double digit inflation that required a recession to tame.

Obama began office with virtually non-existent official inflation. Now, with commodity, energy and food price inflation burgeoning, the impact on consumers will increase over the next couple of years (despite the exclusion of food and energy from the index).

The Misery Index trend was favorable for Reagan due to his policies. For Obama, it is unfavorable for the same reason: his policies.

The United States Misery Index By Year

Um..that was the Paul Volcker "recession".

Reagan had nothing to do with it.

And Obama began his term with a huge recession bordering on outright depression. And a 0% interest rate. It was the beginning of an economic collapse heralded by George W. Bush.

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The heartbreak of economic and political history on parade ^^^

 

[Vast LWC]

Wait until inflation really heats up and get back to us.

Reagan began office with double digit inflation that required a recession to tame.

Obama began office with virtually non-existent official inflation. Now, with commodity, energy and food price inflation burgeoning, the impact on consumers will increase over the next couple of years (despite the exclusion of food and energy from the index).

The Misery Index trend was favorable for Reagan due to his policies. For Obama, it is unfavorable for the same reason: his policies.

The United States Misery Index By Year

Um..that was the Paul Volcker "recession".

Reagan had nothing to do with it.

And Obama began his term with a huge recession bordering on outright depression. And a 0% interest rate. It was the beginning of an economic collapse heralded by George W. Bush.

Not to mention 2 expensive wars left to him by his predecessor.

 

[Sallow]

I kinda think of the economy during the Reagan administration the same as a "cocaine high". Felt good..but all in all very damaging. It took George HW Bush to make some real fixes that cost him the presidency.

As in..he did what was good for the country while sacrificing himself politically.

You are confusing Reagan with Clinton.

The bubble dotcom/telecom/Y2K economy was a faux era of growth.

Reagan tames inflation and enabled the real economy to create jobs.

Bullshit.

The fallacy of the "dot.com bust" is that is was largely cleaned up prior to George W. Bush assuming office. And basically it represented a good number of businesses trying to figure out what to do with the new business model the Clinton whitehouse rolled out.

It's wildly successful now. ECNs are just one example of that.

 

[Sallow]

Wait until inflation really heats up and get back to us.

Reagan began office with double digit inflation that required a recession to tame.

Obama began office with virtually non-existent official inflation. Now, with commodity, energy and food price inflation burgeoning, the impact on consumers will increase over the next couple of years (despite the exclusion of food and energy from the index).

The Misery Index trend was favorable for Reagan due to his policies. For Obama, it is unfavorable for the same reason: his policies.

The United States Misery Index By Year

Um..that was the Paul Volcker "recession".

Reagan had nothing to do with it.

And Obama began his term with a huge recession bordering on outright depression. And a 0% interest rate. It was the beginning of an economic collapse heralded by George W. Bush.

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The heartbreak of economic and political history on parade ^^^

No..I just pointed out one of the many fallacies of your many erroneous economic "analysis".

 

[boedicca]

I kinda think of the economy during the Reagan administration the same as a "cocaine high". Felt good..but all in all very damaging. It took George HW Bush to make some real fixes that cost him the presidency.

As in..he did what was good for the country while sacrificing himself politically.

You are confusing Reagan with Clinton.

The bubble dotcom/telecom/Y2K economy was a faux era of growth.

Reagan tames inflation and enabled the real economy to create jobs.

Bullshit.

The fallacy of the "dot.com bust" is that is was largely cleaned up prior to George W. Bush assuming office. And basically it represented a good number of businesses trying to figure out what to do with the new business model the Clinton whitehouse rolled out.

It's wildly successful now. ECNs are just one example of that.

I'll just chalk this up to your extreme lack of business experience.

The Y2K bubble pulled forward a great deal of tech spending.

The dotcom and resulting telecom bubbles resulted in a huge amount of tech spending which, after the bubble burst, created a huge inventory of used equipment. This overhang of used inventory took a few years to liquidate.

Add 9/11 to the mix, and the period of 2001-2004 was Very Grim for tech companies