The Misery Index

[XMan]

Was flipping through the channels and happened upon a report on Reagan's birthday. They kind of did the whole background thing on him, when he took office, etc. What really jumped up out at me was that unemployment was almost 7% when Reagan took office, and inflation was also around 11%. Apparently there was something called a "misery index" to sum up just how crappy things were.

Kind of puts things in a little perspective as far as today. Our unemployment today is 5.6% (and IIRC from my economics classes, 5% unemployment is a mean number that generally will not dip down any lower in a feww market economy). I'm not sure what inflation is at the moment - there's a something on the Federal Reserve website that indicates around 1.7%, but that may be something else.

Maybe we've just had it so good, for so long, that when something bad happens, it feels like the end of the world. I was too busy watching Captain Kangaroo and The Bozo Show in those days, so I don't really remember what it was like.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: X-Man
Was flipping through the channels and happened upon a report on Reagan's birthday. They kind of did the whole background thing on him, when he took office, etc. What really jumped up out at me was that unemployment was almost 7% when Reagan took office, and inflation was also around 11%. Apparently there was something called a "misery index" to sum up just how crappy things were.

Kind of puts things in a little perspective as far as today. Our unemployment today is 5.6% (and IIRC from my economics classes, 5% unemployment is a mean number that generally will not dip down any lower in a feww market economy). I'm not sure what inflation is at the moment - there's a something on the Federal Reserve website that indicates around 1.7%, but that may be something else.

Maybe we've just had it so good, for so long, that when something bad happens, it feels like the end of the world. I was too busy watching Captain Kangaroo and The Bozo Show in those days, so I don't really remember what it was like.

The good times in the 90's when all we had to bitch about was the President lying about getting head had spoiled many of us!

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: X-Man
Was flipping through the channels and happened upon a report on Reagan's birthday. They kind of did the whole background thing on him, when he took office, etc. What really jumped up out at me was that unemployment was almost 7% when Reagan took office, and inflation was also around 11%. Apparently there was something called a "misery index" to sum up just how crappy things were.

Kind of puts things in a little perspective as far as today. Our unemployment today is 5.6% (and IIRC from my economics classes, 5% unemployment is a mean number that generally will not dip down any lower in a feww market economy). I'm not sure what inflation is at the moment - there's a something on the Federal Reserve website that indicates around 1.7%, but that may be something else.

Maybe we've just had it so good, for so long, that when something bad happens, it feels like the end of the world. I was too busy watching Captain Kangaroo and The Bozo Show in those days, so I don't really remember what it was like.

The good times in the 90's when all we had to bitch about was the President lying about getting head had spoiled many of us!

Reagan inherited one messed up economy and country from Carter.

I didnt know anyone that was out of work when Reagan was in office. . I knew plenty that were out of work the last few years of Clinton. I dont know anyone thats out of work right now.

I watched as IT company after company closed its doors. We bought up equipment and slowed for years. The last few years have been good again.

 

[Zephyr106]

Oh my God these presidents have complete autocratic control over the economy! But yes, we should keep things in perspective and some bad things at certain times are to be expected. For example, if only small numbers of undesireables were to be rounded up and gassed, it wouldn't be that bad and we would need to keep it in perspective.

Zephyr

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: nutxo

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: X-Man
Was flipping through the channels and happened upon a report on Reagan's birthday. They kind of did the whole background thing on him, when he took office, etc. What really jumped up out at me was that unemployment was almost 7% when Reagan took office, and inflation was also around 11%. Apparently there was something called a "misery index" to sum up just how crappy things were.

Kind of puts things in a little perspective as far as today. Our unemployment today is 5.6% (and IIRC from my economics classes, 5% unemployment is a mean number that generally will not dip down any lower in a feww market economy). I'm not sure what inflation is at the moment - there's a something on the Federal Reserve website that indicates around 1.7%, but that may be something else.

Maybe we've just had it so good, for so long, that when something bad happens, it feels like the end of the world. I was too busy watching Captain Kangaroo and The Bozo Show in those days, so I don't really remember what it was like.

The good times in the 90's when all we had to bitch about was the President lying about getting head had spoiled many of us!

Reagan inherited one messed up economy and country from Carter.

I didnt know anyone that was out of work when Reagan was in office. . I knew plenty that were out of work the last few years of Clinton. I dont know anyone thats out of work right now.

I watched as IT company after company closed its doors. We bought up equipment and slowed for years. The last few years have been good again.

Funny but your anecdotal evidence flies in the face of the statisitics, BTW,before you get your panties in a bunch I hope you noticed that I didn't give credit to Clinton as he wasn't the only person responsible for the good times. We also had a Republican Congress and a lot of Businessmen with a Vision. Unfortunately a lot of that vision was short sighted which accounts for the economic downturn..which I also am not blaming on the Dub!