Joseph Harkins:
I don't think the U.S. Government should provide health care to the public. Who would want government officials secretely pulling all the strings and forming health care options that would financially benefit them and not the people? In these tough economic times, no one will be too excited for a tax increase. If we let the government controll health care, what will they want control of next? Mr. President, I'm all for your can-do attitude, but you're wasting your time trying to reform health c
Preston Alberts:
The time on this website is screwed up. It said that I submitted at 5:10, while it is currently 8:10. Also, all of the essays currently submitted end on 10 minutes. I don't know if that is coincidence or a mistake. :-)
B Alberts:
Mr. Perry, the time on this website is wrong. it registered my entry three hours early. Just thought you moght like to know.
Ben Dzido:
In my opion we are worse off now than we were 8 years ago. The continual decline of the value of the dollar combined with the lack of jobs and the rising price of gas is causing problems with the economy. Our economy is based on the purchase of goods with the decline of the value of our dollar it takes more money to buy somethign and with the gas prices rising, people are less likely to travel to purchase something they do not need. Until we get more jobs and the value of the dollar increases we
Matt Wallace:
In my opinion we are worse off then we were eight years ago. Eight years ago we were paying $1.20-1.50 a gallon for gas and about $26 for a barrel of oil. now we have seen gas prices rise to almost $4.20 a gallon. these gas prices have affected most Americans and has caused many to change their lifestyle or what they spend their money on. With these rising gas prices we are also now spending nore on fuel which is putting a lot of strain on families. Our economy isn't doing too well either. Betwe
Brittany L.:
I do believe this will help her campagin. I think many who people who do feel "invisible" will vote for her. She seems as though she is talking directly to people and i think that will grab their attention.
The effects of President Bush's election eight years ago have been hitting hard even with the young people who did not vote for him. As I reflect on my day to day life, I don't need statistics to see the evergrowing downfall of the economy.This summer, I couldn't find employment because adults were forced to take over jobs teens usually worked, as I look down my street I see more "for sale" signs then ever before, I see cars that haven't been driven in weeks because of ridiculous gas prices, I can see the stress among my neighbors. There is no doubt in my mind that I am worse off than I was eight years ago. It costs me 8 dollars a day, roughly 160 dollars a month to drive to school. Young people all over are facing these consequences of a choice, of a vote, that we never made. As the upcoming election comes closer, although I cannot vote, I will still voice an opinion and hope that those who can vote, will make the right choice. In eight years, our economy has been destroyed and left millions without jobs and homes, our country cannot take another eight years of the same thing. Although I am worse off than I was eight years ago, I can hope that in eight years from now, I won't be saying what I'm saying now.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 @ 10:02 AM
Posted by Sammy Somers:
I beleive that we were better off 8 years ago. 8 years ago, we were not in a war with Iraq, we were not $53 trillion in debt, the middle class was not disappearing rapidly, and presently, the cost of living is rising faster than most can adjust to. The once-wealthy middle class is slowly becoming one large lower class because of rising gas prices, rising food prices, and a bad economy that is forecasted to get worse. But 8 years ago, the middle class was strong, food was affordable, and gas was an average of $1.57 per gallon.
I think we were better off 8 years ago than we are today. Obviously 8 years ago i couldnt drive, but my parents never had to tell me that i couldnt go somewhere because gas was too expensive. Now with the price of just about everything on the rise, we all have to make some choices about spending that 8 years ago we didn't have to make. I also know that 8 years ago my history teacher wasnt trying to convince me that there was a good chance that I'd have to apply for a draft to serve in Iraq, but today his arguement isn't as far-fetched as it may sound. Wether that will happen or not its not really a fun thing to have to think about. The difficulties we face today can be blamed on any number of people or events, but regardless I think its pretty obvious that we were all better off 8 years ago.
I believe that the country is worse off than it was eight years ago. Before Bush was elected, we weren't tangled up in Iraq. That war was started from false information, and now that we're in there it is nearly impossible to leave without having the country collapse behind us. It's also causing OPEC to raise the price of oil in a manner incommensurate with its scarcity. In an economy dependent on oil-burning transportation (into, out of, and within the US), rising fuel prices lead to rising prices for everything else. I believe this is the main cause of the falling economy and rising debt - people are no longer able to afford the cost of living that's risen following the cost of transportation. The minimum wage has not risen at pace with inflation in several decades.
personaly i am better off then i was 8 years ago. my parents make more money then they did and i can now get a job. As a whole i don't think the nation is better off, we are getting deeper into debt everyday and people are losing their jobs. we are in the middle of a war and gas prrices are going up along with food:o
Me personally, yes. I own many more things such as a car, a truck, and a boat,These things i couldn't afford when i was 8 years old. I can also drive and have a job. My parents have been affected by gas prices though. The economy isn't bad enough to effect the basis of our standard of living. I, myself am alot better off than i was, but as a family we are about the same as we were.
I believe this country is definitly worse off than it was 8 years ago. Gas prices have soared, and unemployement is rising. Food prices are beginning to creep up as well, and the dollar is loosing value. Finantially, my family is about the same as we were 8 years ago. My dad's wage has increased, but with costs on almost everything (especiallly gas) increasing, we are about the same finantially.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 @ 11:20 AM
Posted by Hayley Hanchett:
I believe that the country is not better than it was eight years ago. The prices for living have skyrocketed. My parents have to pay $80 just to get from place to place because the cost of gas is so high. Many people in our country are losing their jobs because many companies are going bankrupt. My cousin is also fighting in a war that we shouldn't still be in. we live in a country where there is fear that there will be another attack like 9/11/01. I think that some families are better off but as a whole, our country is doing a lot worse.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 @ 12:08 PM
Posted by Debbie Scheller:
8 years ago I was a 3'25" 8 year old who didn't have to do much other than use the bathroom, eat, and sleep on her own. Most of my time was spent avoiding vegetables and sneaking snacks with the occasional make believe fight to the death with the sticks in the back yard. Now I'm a 16 year old who sees problems everywhere she looks and doesn't know her height. Gas is up, jobs are leaving, inflation is terrible, education is plumiting, and elected officials (and probably soon elected officials) are still doing nothing. So from where I see things now, a few feet higher than 8 years ago,no, things are definitely worse.
Americans are generally worse off than they were eight years ago. But this is not Bush's fault. Bush cannot control the way that people look at the economy, and the people’s view of the economy is what is making the economy so bad. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that we have certain unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Note here that we have a right to the pursuit of happiness, not just = happiness. I was in Target® around the fourth of July, and in the girls clothing section (it's right at the front of the store. You can't miss it) was a t-shirt for sale. On it, in plastic sequins, were the words "lifelibertyhappiness." Americans today expect everything to be given to them on a silver platter, and when they don't get what they want, they blame the government. Basically, Americans want to get high wages for little work.
Long ago, when a kid messed around in school, didn't do their work, smart mouthed, etc., they could get a factory job somewhere and live the middle class life style. However, there are not nearly as many factory jobs left in America, as we now use new technology or outsource. What children don't realize is that they actually have to work to make money. They can’t goof off in class and expect to live in a mansion when they grow up and move out.
I recently had neighbors whose house was foreclosed. Many people say it’s such a sad thing when it happens, but I say (and I hate to be heartless, but…) it’s not. They’re the ones who bought a house they couldn’t afford. They were young, and had three young children. They could barely afford the house itself, and then they put in an above ground pool in the back yard. Many people are buying mansions and expecting to keep them, because they want them. Buy now, pay later, the advertisements say, but people seem to forget the second half of that slogan. This is why America’s economy is failing. People want to have high wages and not a
One more thing before I leave. In 71 days, we will elect a president, whether it be John McCain, or Barak Obama, and whoever voted for the winner will think “Oh, he’s going to be a great president. He’s going to do all these wonderful things.” Well, whoever you vote for, you’ll be disappointed. Whoever it is, he will make mistakes, just as Bush did. People seem to think that whichever presidential candidate they like, will be next to perfect. News flash, America, Obama is human, too. If he’s elected, no, gas prices will not magically drop to $1.59. I doubt they’ll even make it back to $3. I’ll bet anything Bush regretted some of the things he did, but couldn’t do anything to change them. Keep that in mind when you’re old enough to vote, and think that America will be perfect with this new president.
What the presidential nominees should say to the voters is, in order for the economy to rise and prosper, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices. But nobody wants to hear that. Nobody wants to do what they have to. Have you ever heard an adult say “if you want World Peace, you have to start with yourself”? I’ve stopped praying for world peace, just because I can’t make myself perfect. Americans just don’t want to work, and they’re just passing the blame on to someone else.
The problems with America’s economy are not Bush’s fault. Yes, it was him that got us into the war, but I’m not going to go into that, as I’ve already pretty much written an essay. But don’t blame Bush for the failing economy. Blame the citizens of America who expect the government to give them happiness. Blame the lazy, spoiled, babied, do-nothing Americans that complain about the failing economy.
I think the country is definitely worse off now than it was back eight years ago. But i also think that our government isn't perfect so that is going to go up and down. like the article said inflation is increasing at a faster rate than it has in seventeen years! so what about seventeen years ago, it was increasing faster then it is now. which is my point that yes the country as a whole is worse off now then it was eight years ago but everything will even out, it always does. so even though tomorrow might not be better, it will soon enough whether it is a year from now, or eight years from now. :)
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 @ 6:09 PM
Posted by Hannah Alexander:
I think that we were better off 8 years ago then we are now. I mean, sure, eight years ago i was what, seven? I didn't understand anything. I use to play this game where i would bet with my sister to see if the gas prices would go over like $1.50, and when it did we be like, "let's see if it makes it to $1.75!" now i pray that gas will go down, so my parents don't spend a fortune just to take me to my practices. I agree with Anne that most Americans think we should just get everything on a platter and when we don't we throw a hissy fit like a 2-year old, blaming the government, the president, whoever. Everyone makes mistakes and when we don't get our way we just can't blame the world. Also 8 years ago, we weren't in a war with Iraq and we didn't have hundreds of soldiers dying everyday. I know that they attacked us on 9/11 and that we could fight back, but what happened to the United Nations and settling things with talking?? Unemployment rates are through the roof and people are suffering and i don't need CNN to tell me that. I can see it all around, whether you live in Flint or in a high-class city we all are going to suffer, and hopefully it will get better down the road.:)
I personally think I am better off than I was eight years ago. I am a lot more independent, I'm happy, I'm healthy, and I am at a great school with great friends. Our country on the other hand, is much worse off than it was eight years ago. First of all, we weren't in this mess of a war with Iraq. The economy was much more stable from pretty much all aspects of day to day life. The cost of living over the past eight years has done nothing but increase. The unemployment rate is insane and inflation has been on the rise here lately as well. Everyone has felt some sort of an impact from the rising gas prices. I know our country isn't in the best shape it has ever been, but hopefully it will straighten itself out sometime here in the near future.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 @ 7:37 PM
Posted by Jordan Syrowik:
I believe that we are not better off than we were eight years ago. Eight years ago we were economically stable, gas prices were around $1.50 a gallon, the unemployment rate was much lower, and the jobs Americans had weren't being shipped off to other countries. Now we are close or on the verge of an economic crisis while we watch more and more Americans lose their jobs and slowly lose everything they have which only makes the situation worse. Gas prices have soared past $3 and have even reached $4 which eight years ago was unheard of. Many Americans have been shipped off to other countries because it is cheaper to have them work in other countries. No specific person in the government is to blame for the unstable economy because they wouldn't have planned for this to happen. The economy will level out sooner or later, Americans just have to wait for the time to come.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 @ 7:54 PM
Posted by Nichole Josey:
After Bush's election into the White House our economy has gone downhill very quikly. Hopefully after this election we will be able to get out of this slump, I do not believe we can take anymore living like this. Jobs have been lost and when you go to look there..well its rare to be able to find one. Even now litte 12 gallon cars can take 35 to 35 dollars to fill and you cant just stop driving you have to get to work, you still need those everyday neccesities, and those have even had rasies in prices. The war is really insane and not needed. We don't need oil from them that bad to be loosing the large amount of soldier. We have many places here at home where we could get our resources from it is just a matter of searching and researching those things. If we weren't in this was than I believe our economy wouldn't be anywhere near the shape it is now. Our country needs to really think through and pick the best choice for presidency othewise we could be in the same situation for another 4 yrs, and we can not take that. Another 4 yrs like the past 8 I can't even begin to think where we would be. This next election could be the fate of America. We have a lot to get ourselves out of already and if there were to be another 4 yrs I don't see how it could ever happen to be fixed. So back to the topic of todays question I believe we were better off 8 yrs ago than we are today. But hopefully once this election occurs we can get out of this economic slump we are in..
I, personally, feel that I am no worse off today than I was eight years ago. However, if no change comes to the policies and tactics employed by our country’s leader, I know that I will be worse off eight years from today. Though George W. Bush cannot be held accountable for every problem the United States has today, it is statistically proven that the country has not prospered during his terms as President. Millons have suffered from inflated prices and rising unemployment rates; the declining economy has many unsure and afraid for the future. Thousands of men and women are fighting and dying in a war lacking a justifiable or proven cause. The country is not better today than it was eight years ago, and it will not be better tomorrow, or eight years from now, if the next President of the United States of America does not make the necessary changes to improve the economy and restore citizens’ faith and confidence in their President.
I think that the economy is worse off than it was eight years ago. Gas prises are going up and the American dollar is losing value. It costs sixty-five dollars for me to fill my tank and I dont make that much in a month. For the people in America facing debt and home forclosure, thats thier own fault. They bought things with money that they didn't have and now they have to pay for it. The government should not have to raise taxes and take away from peoples good choices to pay these peoples bad ones.
I have to disagree with what some of you are saying. Yes, unemployment rates are rising. But it is NOT hard to find a job. The problem is, at first, people didn't need to go to college to get a good job, so they didn't. Now they do, but kids are still not going to college. Then they end up not being able to find a well paying job, and THEIR kids can't go to college. Three of my four older siblings all found jobs within a month of graduating from college. My sister found a teaching job in Atlanta, and has now saved up money to spend a three month vacation in Costa Rica after 5 years of teaching. My brother spent two years working at his alma mater as an admissions councilor, and is now working an internship in Argentina. And my youngest brother got an engineering job in Cleveland, which is almost as bad off as Flint, economically. So don't tell me it's hard to find a job in America. Yes, it's hard to find high paying, non-working jobs, but are there any? If you do the work, you'll get a job, no problem.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 7:00 AM
Posted by Bhanu Swamy:
The United States is not better off than 8 years ago. President Bush left the country unstable and still in war. We are also taking loans from China. Inflation, unemployment, oil, and forclosed houses are sky high. Many people can't even afford health care, since their wages have decreased and their debts have increased. Taxes are very high for the wealthy. The auto industry and the manufacturing has gone down. Also, many jobs have even gone over seas. The American's confidence in the President has declined, and the economy of the US is in a bad shape since the past 8 years.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 8:49 AM
Posted by A Gomez:
The United States is obviously not better off than it was eight years ago. Look around, less and less jobs are becoming available and businesses are downsizing because they cannot keep up with inflation. I'm not saying that it’s hard to find a job but if you’re looking for a job to support your family upon, then it is difficult to find especially in Michigan. Some people say that you cannot blame the president for being in debt and our economy situation, but I don’t believe in that. We elect our president hoping that they will make the right choices to better our country. President Bush, however, did the complete opposite. He had us fighting a useless war in Iraq because he believed there were weapons of mass destruction, which was false. So instead of helping our country out of its growing debt he just dug the whole even deeper, which is why were not better off than we were eight years ago.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 9:16 AM
Posted by apetrides:
really apetrides is america lazy?
plus we dont care about your family
My family was better off eight years ago when my dad was a full time Delphi employee. Four years ago Delphi filed for bankruptcy protection and the company offered buyouts to their employees so they could hire unskilled workers for less money. With the unsurety of a pension or benefits after retirement he opted to take the buyout to save his pension and benefits. My dad had worked at Delphi for 29.9 years and did not receive the buyout money that most employees and is currently unemployed at 53 years old. Gas prices are another factor that proves we were better off 8 years ago. We spend approximately $800 on gas every month. Whoever is elected needs to understand the effect the failing automobile industry has had on our country and do something about outsourcing jobs. The new president has to do something about gas prices so that people that are working can get to work and still bring home a pay check.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 9:52 AM
Posted by jessie thick:
I think my family is better off eight years ago. Even though my parents are sending one child to powers and another to U of M Ann Arbor we can stil do and afford the same things we did eight years ago, so obviously thier income has increased. As for the whole econmy i think we are much worse off. People who graduated from college and have established degrees are being laid off and working at temperary jobs that barely pay enough to get by and those who are just graduating college cannot find jobs in thier designated feilds. Which also leaves highschool students jobless becuase all the jobs that we usually work are being taken by those who need a way to support themselves. I think its a domino effect starting with the big companies hitting all the way to highschool students who just need some games money.
Am I better off than I was eight years ago? On a personal note, yes. My father has recently been promoted and recieved a pay increase. According to the article, America as a whole, doesn't seem to be as fortunate. Unemployment is rising and Americans have lost 463,000 jobs since the first of the year. Now, personally, if I was incredibly desperate for a job, I might try applying at the local resturant or something of that nature. But sitting around and being depressed about not having that high-paying you want. There are jobs out there. Like apetrides mentioned, "Do the work and you'll get a job." I want to say one thing about the srious debt problem, too: Don't buy stuff if you can't afford it!!!!
On a personal level, I am better off now than 8 years ago. I am more independent, and I have a lot more now than I did then. But in reference to America, we are on a downward spiral. If our economy is the way it is now after it was good 8 years ago, then just think how it will be in another 8 years. Unemployment is becoming more widespread than ever, gas prices are continuing to rise, businesses are downsizing, and the war in Iraq is not making any progress. Doing everyday activities, driving to where you want to go, and things that seemed "priceless" 8 years ago are now costing regular American families more than ever. And one of the main reasons for this is because of how much harder it is becoming to find a job that can support you and your family. But with the upcoming election, there are hopes that times will change. Hopes that the economy will get better. Hopes that money will no longer affect America in such a negative way.
I think that we were better off 8 years ago then we are now. Gas prices are rising so high to the point where families have to choose whether or not to buy groceries or use the money to fill up their tanks. I can't believe that I get excited when gas prices go down from $3.88 to $3.68!! Also, the housing market is terrible. My old house was on the market for two years before we sold it at a price that was way below what we wanted. Let’s also not forget about the war in Iraq, which has put us in debt up to our ears. Who knows how much longer that will go on?! All of this adds up to one big problem that hopefully can be solved by the next president. What I am trying to say is that I believe that this is just one big problem made up of many small ones that will not be solved in one day or even one year. It will take time to fix it and we citizens need to be patient and try to help as much as possible. But remember, if our grandparents survived the Great Depression, then we can survive this.
I am not better off now than I was eight years ago. As the CNN/Pew Research opinion poll said in Jack's article 75% of Americans surveyed think the economy is in bad shape. I am one of those Americans. There are several factors that would lead me to this conclusion. Eight years ago my generation did not have to worry about not receiving social security. My generation also did not have to worry about paying off the biggest national debt in our nation's history. The national debt is upwards of 9 trillion dollars and it is growing everyday. The past eight years have included a foreign policy that has left our military stretched beyond capacity. Foreign companies are coming in and bailing out failing American companies on Wall Street. Mortgage giants such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are weakening under the suffering housing market. According to Michigan's Labor Market, the unemployment rate of Michigan is 8.5% which is above the national average of 5.7%.
Eight years ago I did not need a passport to go to Canada, and when I went to Canada I could look forward to an exchange rate that would benefit me. I would never have thought that in eight years I could go to Canada and the exchange rate would be almost equal. CNN reported March 14, 2000 that the average price of gas nationwide was $1.54. As of August 12, 2008 the national average price of gas is $3.79. In January 2000, inflation was 2.74%, compared to July, 2008 when inflation hit 5.60%.
Ten billion dollars a month is being spent in Iraq. While Iraq has a surplus because of oil, we are growing deeper into debt to countries such as China. Last summer a bridge collapsed in Minnesota and the U.S infrastructure is still in need of repair. All of these examples have led me to believe that I was better of eight years ago then I am today.
I believe, eight years ago, America was better off then they are now. Today it is very hard to find a good job, and if you have one it hurts to drive to work everyday because of the high gas prices. With the prices of our everyday neccesities going up and employment going down you wonder how are those unemployed going to support their families? the war is also hurting americans. people have been risking there lives for years in the war and yet more and more are sent to iraq. hopefully with a new president, america will slowly get away from these issues and in eight years from now we will have a stronger economy.
I believe that we are not better off than we were 8 years ago. If you watch the news all you hear about is how gas prices are ridiclously high and they keep getting higher. The unemployment rate is still growing, and GM is not doing so well. Also, just like the article said, along with gas prices rising, oil prices have goon through the roof. We still haven't pulled our troops out of Iraq, which is causing families to lose their children. Finally, it hasn't been said in awhile but the ozone layer still is not doing so well, we are doing better in keeping it in tact by reducing our usage of items that can hurt it but it still isn't at it's highest poing.
I believe that the economy is in much worse shape than it was eight years ago and that's the answer that many people believe. We must remember that prices raise on just about everything as time goes along. Unfortunately prices have risen too high on many essentials. he big one that everyone thinks of is gas. Gas prices have skyrocketed especially in the last 2-3 years. Now with another hurricane approaching the gulf coast, gas companies will probably again jack prices up over $4 a gallon. As far as unemployment goes, we here in Michigan have gotten a first hand taste of job loss. Of course this is because of the increasing number of people being layed off by auto companies, mainly GM. I think the reason for GM's job cuts is because of the incredible benefit packages that they offer workers. They have found out that they cannot afford these benefits and employees have suffered because of it. I just wonder what the answer to this same question will be eight years from today.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 10:20 AM
Posted by THOMAS MULCAHY:
Personally I feel that America is better off than eight years ago in some aspects, and is worse off in others. First off, eight years ago we weren’t nearly as advanced technologically, such as how much easier and accessible the internet is. The internet has helped us in many ways including research and keeping us up to date with news. Also the use of cell phones has helped us, eight years ago cell phones were used less by younger kids. However now if a teenager was in trouble they can just make a phone call and get help. As for how we are worse off, gas prices are an obvious one, seeing as how high prices have soared in the past two years alone. Thus making more difficult on families that are struggling already now they have to worry about gas prices. Lastly with most of our companies going overseas to places where workers will work long hours for low pay versus Americans with shorter hours and higher pay it is harder for the common American to find a job.
In my opinion, I feel that America was better off eight years ago than it is today. Like the article previously stated, gas prices are higher than they have been, especially lately, and unemployment rates are skyrocketing. Americans all over the country are struggling just to keep their homes, jobs, and food on the table. Eight or so more years ago, this was not the case for the majority of americans. States are continually going into recessions, including our own, and as of right now, we have no solutions to stop it. Thus, I believe that eight years ago, it was a simpler time, and the United States needs to get back to regularity.
Personally, I think that I am not better off than I was 8 years ago. The main reason is because of the economic and money situations our country is going through for gas. As most of us know, gas prices have gone up a large amount in the past 8 years, and because of that, most people are now having troubles affording to fill up their gas tanks and keeping them full. Since gas has become so expensive, I no longer have as much comfort or freedom in things that involve money. For example, I am now unable to drive up north for a vacation because the money for the gas would cause future stress and unforunate money situations. Since gas has been emptying people's wallets, the people are forced to come with more desperate ways to come up with money such as working more hours at their jobs or getting more than one job to come up with money to support their families and themselves. Eight years ago I was able to do more things and have more fun and relaxation. Currently, I am unable to because I cannot afford as many things and enjoyable events.
Eight years ago the United States was a stable, if not successful, nation that was at peace. Today, eight years later, we are a nation that has a crumbling economy that is at war. The economy affects those of us in Michigan especially considering we have the highest unemployment rate in the country with 461,000 people who are out of jobs. Having unemployed, which means having no income, in our state means that we don't have money to invest in business which results in these businesses closing due to lack of incoming profits, which means those employed there lose their jobs, meaning more unemployed in the state, which results in the cycle continuing starting over and continuing on again. Also, we have spent billions of dollars on a war that has long since been elongated into a conflict with no foreseeable ending, instead of focusing on the citizens of our own country opposed to those of Iraq. With a falling economy, I personally have felt the sting of our government’s mistakes. With so many unemployed, jobs are harder to find because so many people want them so businesses will give them to those who need them the most, not a sixteen year old boy. Also, with gas prices at record levels, it makes traveling a much less attractive notion. Eight years ago I was eight years old, however, I was able to travel with my family because we did not fear gas prices, and I did not have to deal with the fear that if one of my family members lost their jobs that they would have no other job options open to them resulting in them being unable to afford food, water, electricity, warmth, and lastly their home. The worst part is, instead of our government helping out its people by creating jobs in our country, they advocate shipping jobs overseas. It is a scary time that we live in today, our economy teeters over a large cliff and with one misstep we will slip and fall over the edge into oblivion.
Personally, I am better off than I was 8 years ago. I am lucky to have a job, a car, and more independence than I did when I was 8. My family is also better off today than in 2000. Both of my parents are employed, and we recently moved into a new house. Although I am better off now, I am still feeling the effects of the country's current recession. Our country as a whole is definitely not better off than we were 8 years ago. In the year 2000, we had not yet endured the 911 attacks, nor were we involved in the war with Iraq. Also, gas prices were lower and unemployment rates weren't skyrocketing like they are today. I hope that in 8 more years, we can look back and say that we are better off than we were during this time. With a new president being elected into office, changes will hopefully be made for the betterment of our country.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 1:21 PM
Posted by JennaNeumann:
I, personally, have advanced today from my position eight years ago. Seeeing as how many of the Powers clientel are more fortunate members of the Flint area community, many of us have never wanted for much. However, we are still capable of perceiving that not everyone has been as opportune. Generally speaking, the UNited State's economy as a whole has taken a rapid alteration for the worse. With FLint being the factory town that it is, many of us can see first-hand the effects of a deteriorating community. Flint's business has been slowly declining since its hayday, but it seems as if in the last eight years there have a more numerous amount of layoffs and wage cuts than ever before. Many of us may know relatives or others who have been hit economically hard by these instances, struggling rather unsucessfully with the escalating gas and food prices. However, it seems as if people cannot find an easy solution to solving their financal problems. Once one has succumbed to the black oblivion of debt, it becomes rather difficult to re-enter the world of the prosperous once again. Sadly, this is what our country is learning from experience instead of advice. With the next upcoming election, our nation still retains the inkling of hope for better times. WIth our faith in a new leader with innovative ideals and with us trying to find different spending habits more effectual for our lives, our nation may be capable of being revived from its current state of affairs and move foward from the current hard times.
Personally, I am no worse off then i was eight years ago. However, as was quite obviously stated in the article, our economy was in a much better state eight years ago. In these past years the prices of everything have increased as the rate of employment has steadily decreased. This gives americans a lot to think about, especially with the presidential election so close. Who do we want to lead us for the next four years? Who will do the best job as the president? Who will help suffering economy? Though no president will be able to instantly improve our economy, there is much we can do to make sure our economy is better off in the years to come.
Our country is in worse shape then it was 8 years ago, but its not all the goverments fault. Many americans today like to believe that every little thing that goes wrong in thier country is the fault of thier goverment, but more often then not its more their own fault then anyone elses. We cant expect to be able to spend on whatever and sitt on our butts and still come out on top. Our country is the home of the free, and our goverments top priority is protecting that freedom not babysitting every one of its citizens. I'm not saying the goverment is all one big saint group or anything, but their human just like us and can make mistakes.
Looking around at the high inflation and the prices of everything soaring higher and higher, I would say that we are not better off now, than 8 years ago. We had a stable economy 8 years ago, we had affordable gas prices, and also, we had extra money in the U.S. National Treasury. Back then, we barely heard anyone talking about foreclosures but what do we see on the news? Each and every day, more and more people are getting foreclosed and having to wander around finding what they can to survive. Though, one ideal that leads to this is, the lack of finding a job. As the unemployment rate has been rising incredibly high, more and more jobs have been lost. Companies are making drastic solutions that would help enable their company to do much better. This has affected most of our people and we can’t live in an economy like this.
Especially when we see gas prices rise up 34% over the last year, it is something that definitely tells us, something is wrong with our economy. I remember the times when gas was only a $1.30. Now, everywhere I look, I find gas at around $3.40. Also, in the term of Bill Clinton, we had extra money in the U.S. National Treasury. Now, if you look at the National Debt, we are around 9.6 trillion dollars in debt. This war has caused us too much, and because of this war, millions of Americans suffer, with high taxes.
How can millions of people afford to keep up with these ridiculously high prices with they job they have, taking care of their family and homes? We can probably assume that millions of these people will be liberated from inflation, in this coming election.
I believe the economy was better off eight years ago than it is now. The country was at peace and gas prices weren't so high. I'm lucky to go to a private school and have the things I have. Although, with unemployment rising as well as gas prices many have fallen through the cracks of the staggering economy. I worry about how the lower class even get by in life because every dollar I seem to spend is closely monitored by my parents. This was not the case a couple years ago. I feel that my parents and everyone of their generation worry about money too much and it's the government's fault for putting us where we are today. As an American citizen everyone is entitled to the pursuit of happiness. We are known for being independent and free. As it is today I believe we are setting a bad example of what American Policy is about. We shouldn't be dependent on other countries for oil. Also it is not right to be at war over speculations and suspicions, there are no facts. I don't follow politics too closely but it seems as though President George W. Bush has been bringing our country down. Eight years ago my family and I never had to worry about what would happen after we got on a plane. Eight years ago my older sister didn't have to search around all of Genesee County to simply to find a job. Finally eight years ago my parents could easily fly to the Philippines to visit their moms and dads without having to worry about the amount of their plane ticket or paying an extra $50 for luggage. Every little thing is harder to do than it was eight years ago and that is ridiculous. My mom works twice as hard than before because everything is that much more expensive. As Americans we shouldn't be working so hard to spend a quick dollar but also having time with our families and friends. Even though I come from a family that supports the Republican opposition, it is time for a change.
The last eight years have all been down hill. The average worker's pay is down, and prices are up. Even the ways we are trying to help with the problems are creating different problems. Food prices are going up because farmers can make more money selling corn for ethanol gas than they can for normal crops. That makes food prices go up because no one is planting food like peppers, wheat, and tomatoes. This is because people are trying to get the gas prices down. This helped one problem but caused a new one. What problems do we need to fix to make the next eight years better?
No, I do not think that the economy is better off today than it was eight years ago. My family has had more problems fianacially now than eight years ago. My grandpa always stresses to me the importance of education because pretty soon, there will be no more jobs for the middle class. I feel that soon, people in America will either be poor or rich. These new gas prices, taxes and higher prices on everything is causing major problems. People cannot afford these newer and higher prices and it will wipe out the middle class. I feel something must be done quickly to guide America into a brighter and more secure future.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 4:13 PM
Posted by alex stair:
I believe we were better off 8 yrs. ago for many reason. One reasons is oil prices were lower making gasoline cheaper. Also we weren't at war with the middle east. Today we have thousands of unneeded troops in Iraq. Another reason is our economy was better and we weren't in billions of dollars in debt.ALso the unemployment rate wasn't as high. This is why i believe we americans were better off 8 years ago!
As an American citizen in today's society, I am definitely not better off now than I was 8 years ago. Gas prices continue to rise at a steady rate, and living in a city where public transportation is not as readily available as some place such as New York City or Chicago, it is hard to afford. Also, especially in Michigan, unemployment rates have gone way up, making it much more a challenge to find a good, high-paying job. Therefore, am I better off now? No, not in the least.
I feel that eight years ago we were better off than we are today. Eight years ago we were not in a war, and our economy was stable. Today we're in a war, and our economy is an absolute mess. People have many different reasons about why our economy is as bad as it is, a couple are rising gas prices, unemployment is at an all-time high, and many Americans are in debt. With gas prices so high, and the cost of manufacturing so high many companies have had to lay off many of the smaller people in their companies, and with no jobs people have no income whatsoever. When the middle class has no income, they struggle with many of the daily tasks of living. With gas prices so high,they cannot afford to just run to the grocery store whenever the have to. When you're at the grocery store all the prices of food have gone up too, so you not only use expensive gas, but you have to also buy expensive groceries. Inflation is rising faster every year. With people struggling to do these things, many of them fall into debt, and have to really cut back, even drastic measures like selling your house. With things the way they are and everything on the rise our economy is only going to get worse, so in this coming election hopefully our future president can turn things around quickly.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 4:31 PM
Posted by RSeeley:
I believe that myself and our country are in worse shape then it was 8 years ago. There are problems that we have now that we didnt have 8 years ago such as an unstable ecomony and soaring gas prices. These problems run parallel to unempolyment rates since people are losing jobs they cannot keep up with paying for gas and other things that they need to provide for their families. Another problem is that we are pooling billions of dollars into the war in Iraq when we should be using that money to stablize our ecomony here at home. In the upcoming election the American people can do something about the ecomony by selecting the correct person to turn our country around. It is time for a change and our ecomony can only go up from the point it is at now. The government needs to address the problems, but they are not the only ones who have a say, the American people can help in our trek for a better ecomony.
I believe that I am better off than I was eight years ago. I'm older and I'm smarter. I can drive, and I have a job. I had none of this then. As for America, we are definitely not better off. Unemployment and foreclosure rates are as high as ever. We are in a war that only increases the debt that the country is already in. Gas prices continue to get higher everyday. We are much worse off now.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 4:46 PM
Posted by bkovel:
Eight years ago the economy was not in a recession. The public is distraught. I personally know a lady who's house has been forclosed. She has a struggling bussiness and her husband is an unemployed computer technician. Eight years ago this man could have gotten a job, but now he can't. People can't get jobs anymore. This country has been in a downward spiral ever since that oaf was sworn in. Hopefully with the upcoming elections we can elect a stronger leader. One who can get the country out of the toilet and back to where it belongs.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 4:50 PM
Posted by bkovel:
No I am not better off. My family is beginning to feel the squeeze and although i don't believe that we will ever lose our house we still have to watch our earnings.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 4:53 PM
Posted by K Waggoner:
This is a no brainer, of course we were better off 8 years ago. Back then we were living pretty good. We weren't losing jobs in Michigan, the price of oil was down making travel much easier and the price of shipping food cheaper. With Bill Clinton we had a surplus and we were making money as a nation but now we are in debt billions of dollars because of good ol George W. Bush. Just think how things would have gone if Al Gore or john Kerry were elected. We wouldn't be in Iraq thats for sure and we wouldn't be spending billions of dollars to supply our troops who I believe are over there for all the wrong reasons. Today we are a nation that went from a powerhouse to looking to everyone else for help. Right now we are stuck in a hole and we need to dig ourselves out with a new president that can get us back on the right track.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 4:54 PM
Posted by Joe Kako:
I feel that I am better off than I was eight years ago because I have a lot independence, but that can only take me so far with the price of gas these. I have to admit that our country's economy is not all that great, but the U.S. has bounced back from a lot worse than this. Living in Michigan, you really see first hand how a bad economy takes a toll on your community. Unemployment has risen to 5.7%, and I feel that this too high for our country not to be doing something about it. People who actually want to get out there and find a job are the people that need a steady income because welfare checks can only do so much. The government has to realize that the cost of living has gone up and something must be done about it. The United States has to learn to take of itself and it's own problems before getting involved with other countries. Hopefully with the election coming up, our new president will pick the economy back up.
I definitely feel as though that I would not be better off now than 8 years ago. First of all, everyone is feeling the pain at the pump with it being increased by 34% ,just in the past year.This increase has affected my family by we have not been able to take as many trips as we usually do because the price of airline tickets have also skyrocketed. Also, the rising gas prices have forced many other changes in our world, such as the decrease in wages and the increse in unemployment.Finally, with the War in Iraq, the government have been forced to spend more and more money, which has resulted with the increase in taxes. That is why I feel I would be better off 8 years ago rather than now.
I feel that our country was a lot better off 8 years ago. I don't personally know what it is like not having a loving family or parents that are unemployed. Both of my parents have had jobs since before I was born. This always made me take some of the nicer things in life for granted. Now that I have matured and become older I see how much gas prices are. How many people are unemployed without a good job to support their families. Our country definatly is ready for a little change in things. It will be especially interesting to me because we will be making history will either political party. I sure hope they're up for the challenge.
As a country, America was way better eight years ago than it is today. Apart from the economic recession and soaring gas prices, the US has lost a lot of respect in the international community. Most of Europe now scoffs at America, and we are gradually losing our position as the world's lone superpower. For example, when Russia invaded Georgia last month, we really couldn't say much because we sort of did the same thing to Iraq. Plus, when you add the growing power of China and the massive debt we owe the Chinese we've accumulated, our foreign policy has really put America in a poor position. Hopefully, whoever gets elected in November can stop the US's general decline so that in the next four years, Americans can look to the future with a renewed sense of optimism.
I believe that eight years ago I would have been much better off. Eight years ago I would have felt robbed if I saw gas for the price it is now. People should know that something is wrong when we get excited if gas is under $3.50. Also eight years ago my family did not fear my dad losing his job. Eight years ago our country also was not in a very costly war that has not only taken the lives of American soldiers, but has also waisted money that could be spent saving lives. I also believe there is hope for us though. I hope that our nation will elect a leader that will allow me to say that I am better off than I was four years ago.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 5:16 PM
Posted by joe carlson:
The country was in better shape 8 years ago than it is now. However, you can't just dump all of your problems on the government and expect them to fix everything for you. Hard work is needed in order to make a living. Yes, we are in a war, but it was necessary for us to fight back. America is supposed to be a major power in the world, we can't let countries push us around. Say what you want about the president, at least he has kept us safe since 9-11.
I believe that the country as a whole was way better off eight years ago. The inflation percentage has gone up so fast that many people cant make the adjustment to continue living their everyday life normally. The most obvious, of course, is gas prices. Higher gas prices means higher food prices because trucks can no longer ship them as cheaply as they could eight years ago. And it's not like we can just stop buying food. Another thing I have noticed is how many houses have gone up for sale as their value is declining.
i believe another cause for this economic decline is the fact that so many people got roped into debt. About eight years ago, loans were extremely easy to get a hold of. By the time the loans were due many people were in way too far over their heads and couldn't afford to pay it back. My hope for the 2008 election is, no matter who gets elected, that they will do the best they can to put this country back on the road to prosperity.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 5:30 PM
Posted by k sterling:
We, as Americans, we're better off eight years ago than we are today. First of all, the unemployment rates have skyrocketed in the last few years and don't show signs of improving anytime soon. We are now importing more goods than we are exporting and this has created a trade imbalance. To make things worse, the prices of fossil fuels and other natural resources continues to climb. Due to poor planning in the financial sector, there are more homes in foreclosure now than ever before in the United States. So in my opinnion, the United States as a whole, is in worse shape than it was eight years ago.
I believe that the country was doing better eight years ago. There are not as many jobs available and gas prices are constantly on the rise. The Flint area has been getting hit pretty hard for quite some time. My family has not benefited from these tough times, but it has not been ruined either. We now have the house paid off, and no one has lost their job yet either. So we have not been hurt too bad. Of course the country is doing worse with war, debt, and a poor economy. When Canada's dollar is worth more than ours, it is obvious we have a problem.
I think that my family is better off, but our country is worse than it was eight years ago. Job losses, soaring gas prices, and rising food costs is only the beginning. Families are struggling to put food on the table and fill their gas tanks. My friend's dad recently lost his job and they had to send her brother to a public school because they could no longer afford the private school. Every problem we encounter leads to another problem. Pretty soon we have too many problems and not enough solutions. Hopefully the future of our country will be brighter.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 5:46 PM
Posted by amy juengel:
Americans perception of the economy today is that it is worse than it was eight years ago. Americans base this perception on the availability of two main “comfort” necessities; cheap energy and cheap food. If we can get these, we are generally happy and we feel good about the economy. The more these prices rise, however, the more the optimism of our well being fades. This also affects the unemployment as this changes our spending habits. As we spend more on food and fuel, we tend to be much more conservative with our remaining budget. To help bring back these “comfort” necessities, we need to look at what is causing the rising prices. A major influence on the price level of these commodities is the dramatic increase in the number of unregulated speculators in the futures market. This has caused a substantial increase in the prices of food and fuel. Some experts say that as much as 25-50% of the cost of food and fuel to these speculators. This deregulation by the congress has occurred over the last 20 years, not just 8 years. Congress needs to reestablish more regulations to help eliminate this problem. As the prices of these comforts decreases, Americans perception of the economy will improve and jobs will be formed.
I personally can't say that I can fully remember my life eight years ago, but i would say that it has improved since then. I have more freedoms, opinions, and independence. I am doing things now that I will remember for the rest of my life, and that are important for my future. Other than trying to pay for gas to put in my car, there is nothing as far as basic needs in my life to really be concerned about. On the other hand, many of those around me do have worries and fears for the future. Many adults are losing jobs and homes, and our economy seems as though it is in a continual decline. It seemed like this lifestyle took hold when we were attacked eight years ago, and has continued with the war in Iraq. I truly hope that our upcoming president can bring us out of this slump, and there be less economical concerns for everyone.
Eight years ago, we may have had lower gas prices and more jobs, but eight years ago I didn't give a care. Eight years ago my family had just moved, and I was trying to recover from losing contact with all of my friends. Now, gas prices and scarce jobs do affect me much more directly, and do make life a little harder. Even still, I feel like I'm better off because I now have new friends and am used to living in my eight year old home. But, had I not moved eight years ago, I would probably be worse off because of these changes.
There are two different ways to look at the subject, as always. I believe our government was much better off 8 years ago then it is now. To many things bought in America are foreign made, which means less jobs in America for Americans that are being taken by foreigners than Americans who are buying these items and could greatly be used right now with all of the lay offs that we have been encountering. Living in Michigan we our experiencing lay offs and many home for closures. Michigan has one of the worst economies. Being a Michigander i believe we were much better off politically and from regular person's stand point much better 8 years ago.
In the past 8 years, the condition of our country has decreases significantly. Gas prices are sky high, countries are fighting with each other, food shortages are occuring all around the world,and natural disasters are destroying the homes of many. Through all this chaos and destruction, the most important thing people are worried about is who to blame for all these problems. We try and feel better by blaming the government, the economy, other countries, and everybody else. Granted, there are a decent amount of things that are out of our control and we can't change that we just have to live with. For alot of problems we face, we have no one to blame but ourselves. When something happens to us, our instant reaction is to push the blame onto someone else and let them deal with those problems. We need to stop stop blaming everyone and everything, especially the government. Contrary to many people's ideas, the government actually wants to help us solve many of these problems we deal with. And if the govenment chooses not to help, do something about it yourself.
Personally I can't complain about the way that my life is today, but I don't think that everyone else in America can say the same. I know that I am better off than a lot of people in our country. Even though i am lucky to be able to say this it doesn't mean that i havn't seen the effects of the declining ecomomy and i definately think that our country as a whole was much better off 8 years ago. Today you can't turn on the news without hearing about the rise of gas prices, the rise of the unemployment rate, the decline in the real estate market, or just the declining economy in general. It's depressing to hear about this over and over again but whats even sadder is that this has become our countries reality. I hope that in the upcoming election a leader is chosen that will lead our country through these hard times and find solutions to the problems that we are facing so that in four more years I will be able to say that my life, and the the lives of others in my country are much better off.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 @ 7:05 PM
Posted by Marianne Lusty:
I believe that america and our economy was better off 8 years ago. 8 eight years ago gas prices were less than half the price they are now, the price of food has risen exponentially, and it is harder to find jobs. People who went to college or didn't go to college it dosen't matter there are less jobs everywhere. Adults can't find good jobs so they take lower paying jobs that college students usually have so college students take even lower paying jobs that high school students used to have and its like a domino affect. My parents bith still have their jobs but they still have to save and tell me to try and drive 60 on the expressway to get better gas mileage.
Am I better off now then eight years ago? To put is simply I am not better off then I was eight years ago, even though I now have a driver’s license, a job, a car, and many other great things that I didn’t have eight years ago. But what I did have before and what I don’t have that now is hope for the future. Eight years ago the economy looked good and we, the United States, were going through a relatively peaceful time. In eight years time the Bush administration has managed to ruin all of those things. The downturn in the U.S. economy was not entirely President Bush’s fault, in fact it was mostly the American people’s fault but I really don’t want to go into the mortgage crisis. So as I saying the downturn in the U.S. economy was not entirely President Bush’s fault but he didn’t help matters by signing laws such as the Bush tax cuts.
The Bush tax cuts were a series of tax cuts cleverly sold to the American public as helpful to the middle class. What they really did is raise taxes on the lower and middle classes and cut taxes for the upper class. This is one of many things that contributed to the creation of massive national debt; last time I checked it was in the mid nine trillion dollars range and growing fast. It doesn’t look so bad when written like that so think of it another way. If you tried to count to one trillion counting one digit every second it would take approximately 31,688 years and that’s by constantly counting; so tale that and multiply it by nine. Of course to accumulate debt you must borrow money. One of the countries that loaned us money is China. That gives China leverage over the U.S. so we can’t push issues like Sudan or China’s human rights record; and now if China wanted to it could crush the U.S. economy by calling in all our debts.
Now let’s move to the United States’ ill fated foreign policy. As we all know the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001. President Bush responded by to the attacks
America as a nation was better off eight years ago. We were not stuck in a quagmire of a war, the economy wasn't in an evident decline, and Americans weren,t hesitant of what the future holds. In eight short years our unemployment has skyrocketed, the people are struggling with paying off massive debts, and more than 1 million homes are in forclosure. The picture is bleak, and yet for me personally things are much better than eight years ago. I am able to drive and have had various jobs, my parents are still making enough money to support our lifestyle, and as of yet the current economic situation has had a very small effect on my household. Unfourtunatly our nation won't be able to recover should the Republicans hold the office of President in November, so we need to support Barack Obama and "change".
I believe we were much better off eight years ago than today. I have noticed that gas prices are rising and it is hard to get to places like school when you have to worry about the gas prices. I have seen many home go into foreclosure in the past few years. The economy has just got worse ever since Bush was inaugurated. The cost of living has increased and even milk is about $4 per gallon. This is getting ridiculous. It is getting difficult to find, just look at GM, people were laid off and may or may not be able to find something else. Today, even if you go to college you're not guaranteed any job within like a month or sooner. The company that my Dad works for, mainly sees mentally disabled and elderly patients that have Medicare as their primary health insurance, and since the government has made many cuts to the Medicare program, his company is not getting reimbursed for the services that the Physicians have done. So that company cannot pay the Physicians their wages. Jobs are being cut. It is a shame that these elderly patients have worked all their lives and paid into the system and when they have to decide if they can afford medical treatment or not, they cannot afford the care. I am totally for socialized medicine, for example, I have family members that live in Canada and they have medical insurance that they do not have to pay for and they receive just as good or even better since everyone has the same insurance. I think our government needs to step back and look at the whole picture and start hitting the rich and stop giving them the huge tax breaks and think of the millions of people in our country that cannot afford medical care, having to decide to buy food or pay for their prescriptions. So don't say that if you went to college you could find a job because my Dad went through eight years of college and plus four more additional years of training and he has to worry each day if he has a job from day to day!
America as a collective nation was a much more prosperous and economically powerful nation 8 years ago, but on a personal level, I am about the same as i was 8 years ago. Our country is plagued with problems such as a quicly expanding national deficit, soaring oil prices, and an unusually high rate of unemployment, but these have yet to really touch me. It is an inconvinience to have to pay four dollars a gallon for gas, but it hasnt forced forclosure on my family. We just drive less. It was also inconvinient to not be able to find work this summer, as unemployed adults were forced to take lower paying temporary positions usually staffed by teens, but I didnt starve to death because of my unemployment. President Bush may not have been an ideal leader for the U.S. all together, but his 8 years in office did very little to affect me personally.
I believe we are not better off than we were eight years ago. With the falling value of a dollar, the constant raise of gas prices, and our dependence on foreign oil, i believe unless something changes we will not be getting any better. The unemployment rate is steadily growing as we continue the shipping of our businesses overseas. Soon we will have very few businesses left here. Whatever happened to our industrial might that we had in World War II? Our industry is directly related to our econonmy. Without the jobs we don't have much money to put into the economy. With the election comong up I hope we all make the right desicion on a president and that in eight years we won't be repeating the fall our economy has made.
I believe that we were better off eight years ago than we are now. My reasoning is the economy all these food problems and also the drug problems. Eight years ago gas was almost 2 dollars now its twice as much and our economy is down. Lately we have been having problems with our food like the tomato scare and such nonsense. Also i have seen many ads on tv about recals on drugs and certin drugs leading to cancer we never had that eight years ago. Hopefully the upcoming election will boost our econmy and make america a better place to live.
I think that we were better off 8 years ago. Things were very good then. The world is getting overpopulated and lots of people are losing their jobs. Not having a job is a major problem in the world now. Also, the more people we have, the more oil we are going to use. Oil will begin to become very rare and its prices will go way up. That is why i think we were better off 8 years ago.
Thursday, September 4th 2008 @ 5:24 AM
Posted by Vince Tomczak:
I believe that we were better of 8 years ago than right now. Most of our country's economy is horrible and gas prices have be raised by at least $1.50 over the past 8 years. Bush is heading towards being one of the worst presidents so far. He has just put us in a war that seems to have been going on forever now. Right now there has been commercials on the T.V. and radio about all these foreclosures on houses going on. Unemployment is very high right now and foriegn countries are making a lot more money on the products that they are selling in the U.S., especially in the automotive buisness. That is why I think that President Bush has not helped the U.S. in the past 8 years.
Thursday, September 4th 2008 @ 9:05 AM
Posted by ndaniel:
Things have been slowly progressing from good to not so good over the past 8 years. even though I now have the freedom to drive and work, gas prices are way too high, and it isnt easy to find a job in todays economy. thankfully, none of these things have affected me as badly as other people.
Thursday, September 4th 2008 @ 1:20 PM
Posted by Rochelle Gemuenden:
In my opinion, it could go either way. If you're speaking in terms of each individual family then it is possible that today's world is a better environment compared to what it was eight years ago. Some families have managed to hold stable jobs and a steady income while others may have not. However, this can not be said for America as a whole. With the price of gas, homes, food and other necessities rising, it is nearly impossible to keep up with it all. The fact that the unemployment rate is steadily increasing doesn't help matters either. Overall, I can say I wouldn't mind changing things back to the way they were eight years ago.
in my oppinion, we were better off eight years ago than we are now. the overall economy was in better shape then. untill recently, gas prices were way three times higher than they were eight years ago. the unemployment rate was a lot lower then too. many people are now leaving our state to find job opprotunities elsewhere. If we went back to the way things were eight years ago, we'd be in a alot better shape.
Monday, December 8th 2008 @ 3:31 AM
Posted by john davis:
i disagree with the health care plan because all of our taxes will go up. I also yhink that the government will do a bad job of running it and they will spend too much money and get us further in debt.
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