Are You Better Off Now Than You Were 4 Years Ago?

[後援会]

To be quite fair, opening my wallet to the Romney campaign has not helped my finances.

However, I still blame Obama for this, because if he were a good President, I wouldn't be doing this.

[krazen1211]

Most of my extended family is quite a bit better off than 4 years ago. As a result, they are swung Republican as they do not want Barack Obama and his Democrats punishing this success.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Most of my extended family is quite a bit better off than 4 years ago. As a result, they are swung Republican as they do not want Barack Obama and his Democrats punishing this success.

So instead of voting in their self-interest, they're going to vote for the people who are the reasons they weren't doing as well then as they are now.

[krazen1211]

Most of my extended family is quite a bit better off than 4 years ago. As a result, they are swung Republican as they do not want Barack Obama and his Democrats punishing this success.

So instead of voting in their self-interest, they're going to vote for the people who are the reasons they weren't doing as well then as they are now.

Your statement is not logical.

[angus]

Not better off.  Not worse off.  Just four years closer to my death, like everybody else.

[Lincoln Republican]

Judge for yourself.

Four years ago I was a corporate lawyer earning $500,000.00 a year.

Today I work at a Wendy's for $12.50/hour.

Four years ago I owned a luxury home valued at $1,500,00.00.

Today my house is valued at $250,000.00.

I am now living out of my Rolls and I may have to now move into a Ford Focus.  

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Judge for yourself.

Four years ago I was a corporate lawyer earning $500,000.00 a year.

Today I work at a Wendy's for $12.50/hour.

Four years ago I owned a luxury home valued at $1,500,00.00.

Today my house is valued at $250,000.00.

I am now living out of my Rolls and I may have to now move into a Ford Focus.  

You must have a great Internet provider then.

[CatoMinor]

Much better, but that has nothing to do with the economy/politics.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

I now live in Portland so yes.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Fiscally? Good lord, yes -- the Obama years have been very good to me long-term, even though they started with me getting laid off in January 2009.

[Joe Republic]

Judge for yourself.

Four years ago I was a corporate lawyer earning $500,000.00 a year.

Today I work at a Wendy's for $12.50/hour.

Four years ago I owned a luxury home valued at $1,500,00.00.

Today my house is valued at $250,000.00.

I am now living out of my Rolls and I may have to now move into a Ford Focus.   

Did you also pawn your monocle as well?

[tmthforu94]

Four years ago, both of my parents had good jobs and I would have been able to go to the college of my choice without having to wait for finances.

Today, unemployment has hit our family, and because of finances, I'm going to a much cheaper option for my education, a place that isn't nearly as challenging as the place I wanted to go.

Not at all.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Yes, I moved back to Germany.

[John Dibble]

Yes. This year has been especially good - I got a significant raise a few months ago and have moved into my first house.

Judge for yourself.

Four years ago I was a corporate lawyer earning $500,000.00 a year.

Today I work at a Wendy's for $12.50/hour.

Four years ago I owned a luxury home valued at $1,500,00.00.

Today my house is valued at $250,000.00.

I am now living out of my Rolls and I may have to now move into a Ford Focus.   

Did you also pawn your monocle as well?

Of course he hasn't - that would enable some visually impaired person to see the implausibility of his story.

[Sasquatch]

It's about the same. Perhaps a little bit worse off, but that has nothing to do with who the president is.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Heavens no. Four years ago, I was in college, independent, on my own, full of hope, dreams, had friends around me all the time, partied every night, and loved life.

Today, I am in law school, swamped with work, I lost the love of my life, I can't sleep, I read and brief cases all day and night, my dog died, my dad's best friend died, and I graduated college and moved away from the life I had built. If I could go back to 2008 again I would in a heartbeat.

Financially, my parents have not seen a pay increase since 2007, gas prices and living expenses are through the roof, and my grandfather owns 7 homes and can't sell the ones he wants to sell. The only bright spot is my trust is high than it was 4 years ago, but I don't really credit Obama with the stock market increasing. It HAD to from where it was in 2009.

[mondale84]

Heavens no. Four years ago, I was in college, independent, on my own, full of hope, dreams, had friends around me all the time, partied every night, and loved life.

Today, I am in law school, swamped with work, I lost the love of my life, I can't sleep, I read and brief cases all day and night, my dog died, my dad's best friend died, and I graduated college and moved away from the life I had built. If I could go back to 2008 again I would in a heartbeat.

Financially, my parents have not seen a pay increase since 2007, gas prices and living expenses are through the roof, and my grandfather owns 7 homes and can't sell the ones he wants to sell. The only bright spot is my trust is high than it was 4 years ago, but I don't really credit Obama with the stock market increasing. It HAD to from where it was in 2009.

Life must be sooo hard for him...

[stegosaurus]

Financially? Not particularly.

For most of 2008, I worked odd jobs and crashed around; typical 20-something artist routine. This period, even though I made relatively little money, was comfortable. In 2008, ~$450.00 every two weeks went a lot further.

In 2009, I was hired as a temp for a financial services firm (dealing with mortgages specifically) processing the Obama administration's mortgage modification program. This 7-8 months was the peak of my income, $14.50 an hour (roughly $500.00 a week) and all the over time I could stomach. As an added bonus, it took them 4 full months to realize that the program was going nowhere - so I was paid ~$500.00 a week to literally do nothing. Surf the internet, etc. Unfortunately, they eventually came to grips with what the program demanded and I became expendable labor.

2010-2011 were bad years...very bad years. Moved in with my parents, then with my girlfriends parents, then in with a friend, and then in with yet another girlfriend. In this time, I was able to find one job: $10.00 an hour at a market research company in the mall ("Would you like to take a survey!?"). I was eventually laid off from this job when they closed the office.

In January 2012, I moved back in with my parents for the second time. I was very discouraged at that point, but thanks to a little determination and a lot of luck, I landed a very secure job in worker's comp, for $25,000 a year. It's not much, but it's better than most of the people my age in my end of town are doing.

Long story short: The last four years have mostly sucked for me financially and only now am I getting it together. However, that had little to do with the President directly and more to do with the exploding cost of everyday goods and a sluggish economy that wasn't creating any jobs that I was qualified for.

[Supersonic]

Heavens no. Four years ago, I was in college, independent, on my own, full of hope, dreams, had friends around me all the time, partied every night, and loved life.

Today, I am in law school, swamped with work, I lost the love of my life, I can't sleep, I read and brief cases all day and night, my dog died, my dad's best friend died, and I graduated college and moved away from the life I had built. If I could go back to 2008 again I would in a heartbeat.

Financially, my parents have not seen a pay increase since 2007, gas prices and living expenses are through the roof, and my grandfather owns 7 homes and can't sell the ones he wants to sell. The only bright spot is my trust is high than it was 4 years ago, but I don't really credit Obama with the stock market increasing. It HAD to from where it was in 2009.

Wait. What? O_o

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Well they're not all homes. Some are condos, one is interest in his childhood home, etc.. the point is, the real estate market is not much better than it was 4 years ago, and he wants to unload some of that property but he can't because it's still a buyers market.

The question was whether we are better off than 4 years ago. Not gawk at what people have.

[zorkpolitics]

No.
My wife lost her job, and after a year found one but at 50% less salary
My house has lost 20% of its value
Both my daughters are no longer employed
Our 2 cars are 4 years older

[Sbane]

Well they're not all homes. Some are condos, one is interest in his childhood home, etc.. the point is, the real estate market is not much better than it was 4 years ago, and he wants to unload some of that property but he can't because it's still a buyers market.

The question was whether we are better off than 4 years ago. Not gawk at what people have.

I think at least in Supersonic's case he was wondering why everyday expenses like gas prices are a worry if your grandpa owns 7 homes. I could be wrong though.

[Supersonic]

Well they're not all homes. Some are condos, one is interest in his childhood home, etc.. the point is, the real estate market is not much better than it was 4 years ago, and he wants to unload some of that property but he can't because it's still a buyers market.

The question was whether we are better off than 4 years ago. Not gawk at what people have.

I think at least in Supersonic's case he was wondering why everyday expenses like gas prices are a worry if your grandpa owns 7 homes. I could be wrong though.

No you're right.

[Sbane]

Well I can understand where he is coming from. Just because you have 7 rental properties doesn't automatically mean you are a multi-millionaire. And even if you were, no one wants to pay more for gas. That could go towards early retirement or a vacation home, boat etc.