Has the Past Eight Years Been Bad for You?

[toybox99615]

the true reality.

"Those who think they're doing fine will continue to think so and those who don't won't. All the posting and posturing in the world won't change that. " JWT


Truer work have not been post for a long time.

 

[Playboypenguin]

We are better off now than eight years ago but that is not to say we would be even better off under better policies. We have managed to survive despite bad economic conditions.

I did have to close one business which was doing very well before Bush and many of my friends have lost their businesses in the past couple years. There is just not as much disposable income floating around these days.

I can tell you we pay more of our income in taxes now than ever before. We are not rich enough to benefit from republican tax cuts nor poor enough to benefit from the democrat's.

 

[mountainclmbr]

I would much rather live here in the USA than in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's rule or any other country for that matter. The price of oil is a world-wide problem. France is not impacted as much because they developed nuclear power which the leftist-environmentalists shut down here.

 

[Shane Tuttle]

I would much rather live here in the USA than in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's rule or any other country for that matter. The price of oil is a world-wide problem. France is not impacted as much because they developed nuclear power which the leftist-environmentalists shut down here.

Don't forget to blame Bush for it mountainclmbr. It goes without saying, but yet....

The gears in my head keep churning out, "Are you better off now compared to your father's generation?" As tough it is for many these past 8 years, two items of thought come to mind...
1. How much does one blame themselves for their actions being in the position they are now compared to blaming others i.e. the govt, etc.

2. How many would actually admit to it?

 

[Saab1911]

1. How much does one blame themselves for their actions being in the position they are now compared to blaming others i.e. the govt, etc.

2. How many would actually admit to it?

You mean people are responsible for their own lives

Tests are socially biased so that Asians can excel above all others.

People are poor because they don't have boot straps. If they had
bootstraps, of course they would work hard. Disregard the immigrants that
come with nothing and make something of themselves. Those people are
freaks.

When people point guns at themselves and pull the trigger, of course the
gun manufacturers are at fault.

The people are out there just waiting ... waiting to be told how to live their
lives and what thoughts to think. They want a leader. That's why
a follower like Obama is the right choice to lead this country. Just give
him a weather vane and he'll be all set.

 

[Nnobby45]

We're all doing better than we would be doing if we weren't doing as well as we are.

 

[buzz_knox]

The past 8 years have been great for me. We lost some family members (none killed by Bush or any agency or instrumentality of the federal gov't) and got some more into the family. I bought a house (buying one well within my means and disregarding the stupid advice I got to take out a second mortgage for the downpayment to avoid PMI). I met my wife and lived my life, and done pretty well in both areas, in my somewhat not so humble opinion.

As to the current downturn (brought on by greedy fools on both sides of the lending table and oil speculators, none of whom we can identify as having R or D behind their names), it's called the business cycle. It sucks, but that's what happens when things get out of alignment.

 

[Playboypenguin]

none killed by Bush or any agency or instrumentality of the federal gov't

Same here...I did lose two dogs though. They were old and the vet said it was natural causes but Cheney has still not responded to requests of him to prove his whereabouts at the time of their passing.

 

[GNLaFrance]

Hope someone else hasn't already said this. The Old Media (OM) are pushing the "everything sucks" line because it makes Bush and the GOP look bad. Also they, along with their buds in academia, are at heart Marxists, and they know that the USA will never accept Marxist socialism and becoming just like the old USSR as long as we're strong and confident. They must convince us that things are really horrible first. Too bad they haven't got a chance of that, but hey, at least it gives them a hobby.

 

[S832]

Almost everything does suck, for the average person.

No one needs to be convinced things are horrible, all they need to do is try to find a job, go to the grocery store or walk to the gas station.

 

[dipper]

Jeez, S832, sorry for you!!

 

[sasquatch]

toybox99615

Bad for me
Lets see:
my retirement accounts (no withdrawals from them) is now worth 15 to 18% less than they were 8 years ago

If you aren't retiring soon you should be thrilled. You can now buy more of the same stocks or mutual funds you already own at a huge (15% - 18%) discount!!! With the stock market in the dumpster, you will be able to find many bargains to add to your retirement accounts.

 

[Playboypenguin]

If you aren't retiring soon you should be thrilled. You can now buy more of the same stocks or mutual funds you already own at a huge (15% - 18%) discount!!! With the stock market in the dumpster, you will be able to find many bargains to add to your retirement account

That is some weird logic there. It is kind of like saying you should be glad you lost all you money out of your pockets because you can now put more money into them.

 

[Swampghost]

It sucks for me too! My primary business is marine. I stepped back into construction in '96 (Dad was a GC). Real estate is off and few are using their boats due to fuel prices.

I'm 57 and thought that I'd seen most of it, this is bad.

 

[sasquatch]

That is some weird logic there. It is kind of like saying you should be glad you lost all you money out of your pockets because you can now put more money into them.

No, it is like saying that as you are building your retirement accounts you would prefer the stock market to be down, not up. Difficult concept?

 

[Playboypenguin]

No, it is like saying that as you are building your retirement accounts you would prefer the stock market to be down, not up. Difficult concept?

That might be fine for initial purchasing but not for an established account. if you have been buying the last eight years you just threw all your gains away.

You do not want to be buying on a downward curve. You are taking immediate loses and if the market does not reach previous highs you are at a loss.

 

[sasquatch]

That might be fine for initial purchasing but not for an established account. if you have been buying the last eight years you just threw all your gains away

Very few investments, especially stocks, go up in a straight line., If you are retiring 10 or 20 years from now, this is a perfect time to be buying. Hope you have a good investment counselor, and don't rely on your own understanding of how things work.

 

[Playboypenguin]

Yes, it is a great time to be buying, but not a good time to be holding stocks bought in the last eight years. Buying new stocks and hoping they go up does not cancel out what you just lost. Anyone with an established account which was built over the last decade will be playing catch up for some time to come just to get even.

Just what are you buying the new stocks with? Are you using gains on your old money? No, you are taking new money out of your income and trying to make up for money already gone.

 

[sasquatch]

Yes, it is a great time to be buying, but not a good time to be holding stocks bought in the last eight years.

If you had bought UPL, NOV, OXY (just a few of many examples) eight years ago, you'd hardly be crying the blues, would you?

 

[Playboypenguin]

That's not exactly representative of the market as a whole and does not change the fact that most investors have lost money as of late.