Obama's approval rating falling faster than your 401k

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by X5rolls

Is it just me or does it actually seem like the American public is finally waking up to the fact that big government spending is going to ruin us?

Some of us have been awake since the beginning

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by Viperfreak2

What did Bush think about his approval ratings over the complete 8 years?

When George W. Bush was campaigning for president in 2000, he promised Americans he would be “a uniter, not a divider.” He would reform Washington D.C., he said, and govern as a ‘compassionate conservative.’ He would bring back moral values to the White House, and end the partisanship that marked the Clinton era.
Eight years later, Bush has one of the lowest approval ratings in history. According to a recent CBS poll, the 43rd president of the United States will leave office with only 22% support. Even Richard M. Nixon could count on more support in the final days of his presidency.
73% of Americans say they disapprove of the way Bush has handled his job as president over the last eight years.
Bush’s approval ratings stand in stark contrast with those of Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, two other presidents who finished two terms; both left office with an approval rating of 68%. George H.W. Bush and even Jimmy Carter performed remarkably better with 54% and 44% respectively.
The lowest approval rating ever measured when leaving office was 32% for Harry Truman.
The comparison with Truman is one Bush and his main supporters like to make; they see Bush in similar terms. Truman may have left office with little support, but history has redeemed him.
Bush is most unpopular among Democrats; only 6% of Democrats approve of him. Independents too think little of their president; only 18% believe he did a good job. This explains why Bush’s approval ratings are so low: he can only count on the support of a majority of Republicans. Everyone else hates his guts.
Having said that, even Republicans do not think too highly of him; when only 57% of your own voters think you did a good job, it’s pretty safe to expect your approval ratings to be extremely low.

By the way, your 401K "Dropping" analogy sux. On January 1 my 401K was down 15%, TODAY it is UP 20%.

Eight years, two wars and the largest terrorist attack in the nations history later....... As opposed to sitting in office 7 months and having..nothing..happen...

So it is up 20% from the 50% drop it took, so it is down 30%

[X5rolls]

I'll admit that it is actually a relief to see the public starting to question some of the debt growth approach and that everything isn't an automatic yes to whatever comes from the administration and the congress.

Nothing positive can happen until people admit there is an issue. With this starting to occur, we have likely avoided some miserable consequences of this type of "change".

Let the national debate on debt growth happen - that is what I've been hoping for. With no way to pay for everthing commited and to be committed people will be forced to understand what options and likely outcomes await us all.

[X5rolls]

You and what seems to be a fairly small group for sure. I'm always glad to hear both sides but reassured when folks speak up about spending abuses and that there is no free lunch.

Originally Posted by gresch

Some of us have been awake since the beginning

[cbirk]

Originally Posted by Wagner

Eight years, two wars and the largest terrorist attack in the nations history later....... As opposed to sitting in office 7 months and having..nothing..happen...

So it is up 20% from the 50% drop it took, so it is down 30%

Actually. The math here doesn't work.
If you 401K drops 50% and that increases 20%, it is down 40%.
Example, Initial Balance of $100. Drop 50% gets you to $50. Increase 20% only gets you to $60.

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by cbirk

Actually. The math here doesn't work.
If you 401K drops 50% and that increases 20%, it is down 40%.
Example, Initial Balance of $100. Drop 50% gets you to $50. Increase 20% only gets you to $60.

You're focusing on the wrong point That is all anecdotal BS

[cbirk]

Originally Posted by Wagner

You're focusing on the wrong point That is all anecdotal BS

I'm focusing on the only part that I can stomach. People may be waking up but far too slowly. We are already sunk. I just don't understand how people didn't see this coming.
-Obamacare
-Cap and Trade
-Auto ownership
-National banking
-Cash for clunkers
These career politicians only care about increasing power. Deep down, I'll bet they are happy about the recession as it gives them an excuse.

[tonycajjo]

big spending is, not will, kill this country. how many stimulus packages have come out and not one have i been able to take advantage of... sorry i didn't default on my loans, or buy something i couldn't afford. with the way the economy is and has been it promotes spending and not SAVING!

and this cash for clunkers thing tipped me over. what part of buying a "clunker" for 4500$ makes sense? let the dealers fail... in any given town you can find 4,5,6 dealers all near each other. it's absurd and not needed. this program is only going to get more people into a loan they cannot afford. at the very least make the program avaiable only for american made autos where the majority of the car/parts are made in the country.

[X5rolls]

I agree that people are waking up too slowly but not that we are already sunk. I too don't understand how people didn't see this coming. My guess is that they were so sick of Bush that ANYTHING, even this would be better.

Originally Posted by cbirk

I'm focusing on the only part that I can stomach. People may be waking up but far too slowly. We are already sunk. I just don't understand how people didn't see this coming.
-Obamacare
-Cap and Trade
-Auto ownership
-National banking
-Cash for clunkers
These career politicians only care about increasing power. Deep down, I'll bet they are happy about the recession as it gives them an excuse.

[Viperfreak2]

Originally Posted by cbirk

Actually. The math here doesn't work.
If you 401K drops 50% and that increases 20%, it is down 40%.
Example, Initial Balance of $100. Drop 50% gets you to $50. Increase 20% only gets you to $60.

The math REALLY doesn't work. The only year I had a drop was 2008 and I clearly said it was -15% not -50%!

SO, I was up for 15 years straight (+1000% estimated) down one year (-15% in 2008 ONLY), and now I am back up 20% in the first seven months of this year (Obama and company).

I'm not sure how others invest in their 401k's but I have 1/3 in risky stuff, 1/3 in moderate risk, and 1/3 in very safe areas. I would assume if you were 100% in the risky stuff during 2008, you got hosed.