(Translated by https://www.hiragana.jp/)
Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago? - DailyFinance
The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20121011225737/http://www.dailyfinance.com:80/2012/10/09/are-you-better-off-than-you-were-four-years-ago/


    Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?

    Posted 6:01AM 10/09/12 Posted under: Election 2012
    Mitt Romney
    By Stacy Rapacon

    It's the question every incumbent up for reelection has had to answer since challenger Ronald Reagan first posed it to incumbent President Jimmy Carter in 1980. Was the president's first-term performance, as measured by your quality of life, worthy of an encore? In this 2012 campaign, the answer is not so simple -- despite all the campaign rhetoric on both sides.

    Mitt Romney blasts President Obama for presiding over a period of falling incomes, rising gas and food prices, persistently high unemployment and growing national debt. His slogan: "We can't afford four more years." Obama cites improving job-creation numbers, steps toward more-equal pay for men and women, more consumer protection against predatory lending practices, and more Americans covered by health insurance than ever before. His campaign says, "We've come too far to turn back now."

    So, are you better off? (Share your take in our online poll.) Are we better off? Consider the following measures of individual and national economic growth throughout the last four years to help you answer this critical question.



    More from Kiplinger:


    Add a Comment

    *0 / 3000 Character Maximum

    688 Comments

    Filter by:
    Hello Beautiful

    No. We have not had a real "Commander in Chief". America has become weak under this administration. Socialism here we come under Obama. SICK.

    20 hours ago Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
    lpi2007

    As for the stock market, it's a joke, Our Government has put billions of dollars setting this up to make Obama look good. As for unemployment, millions and millions of people who lost their benefits stopped looking for work, many more people living in a house with other people and I see 10x the houses empty just in my neighborhood. 4 years a go gasoline was 1.98 per gallon and food was 1/2 as much as it is now. Crime rate has reached a historic high. Truthfully , Obama and Mitt, we're screwed either way, they both talk B.S. and are out to destroy the U.S. Obama wants the U.S. to become a Muslim country which if he wins we will be. WE NEED A REAL PRESIDENT FOR THE U.S. who watches out for us instead of them worrying about how they can screw the working people. This will be the worst choice in history running for our President. So to answer the question, ARE WE BETTER OFF, HELL NO but will be better off with Mitt and his clown, HELL NO....... Just 1 more thing, buy lots of KY jelly, we're going to need it.....

    Yesterday at 9:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
    1 reply to lpi2007's comment
    Darin

    How right you are IPi, And there is nothing we can do to change it either..This country is run by the politicians and the high paid CEO's in corporate American...Sometimes I think I would be better off, packing my bags and moving abroad. There are many places in this world where you can live much cheaper and not have to be burden with so many hardships. The United States is the LAND of TAXATION. The poor will always loose and the rich will always be on top!

    Yesterday at 10:10 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
    lindap920

    I'm not better off my neighbors are not better off as a matter of fact I think the only one I can see that is better off is Obama, He has a better house, better clothes, better rides and take his wife on dates on Air Force one and has never asked me if he could do that since I'm paying for his dates. That really burns my butt. So my answer to that questions is NO .......................... OH LET ME THINK.................. HELL NO.

    Yesterday at 9:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
    dayna66

    I am still not sure how i am voting yet, but yes, I am better off, thanks to my stocks coming back from the dead and my husband who is a real estate agent, is now selling homes like crazy (knock on wood)...

    Yesterday at 9:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
    jws1141

    No Question on this, NO, in just about every way. Being retired my income is locked to what I have put away in savings, No , only in outflow or payouts, lets look at what went up or down in price in the last 4 years.....
    My earnings in interest has all but disappeared, My taxes in general overall have increased (IRS, PT, ST, Use Taxes on Electric, phone and internet, Gasoline up 250 % and Auto priceing up 20-35%, food up 20-50% with predicted riseing shortly of another 20-30m%, & Health care another 20-40%. But more, Yes, the general cost from a shirt, bike, baseball glove, Pots & Pans, greeting card shoes have all followed the with large price hikes, China who produces most of this general merchandise has rased te costs which all now passed on, equaling what was all made in America at the same costs. This coupled with the drop in the value on the American Dollar -- down over 35% Keep printing them Obama -- help them, Chinthat is a

    Yesterday at 8:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
    1 reply to jws1141's comment
    mac2jr

    Don't you just LOVE the Republican 'Free-Market, Supply and Demand, Make a Profit at any cost' way of life...

    Yesterday at 9:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
    jws1141

    No Question on this, NO, in just about every way. Being retired my income is locked to what I have put away in savings, No , only in outflow or payouts, lets look at what went up or down in price in the last 4 years.....
    My earnings in interest has all but disappeared, My taxes in general overall have increased (IRS, PT, ST, Use Taxes on Electric, phone and internet, Gasoline up 250 % and Auto priceing up 20-35%, food up 20-50% with predicted riseing shortly of another 20-30m%, & Health care another 20-40%. But more, Yes, the general cost from a shirt, bike, baseball glove, Pots & Pans, greeting card shoes have all followed the with large price hikes, China who produces most of this general merchandise has rased te costs which all now passed on, equaling what was all made in America at the same costs. This coupled with the drop in the value on the American Dollar -- down over 35% Keep printing them Obama -- help them, China that is

    Yesterday at 8:53 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
    1 reply to jws1141's comment
    mac2jr

    You have allowed a few Corporate World Companies to take over, and you support them as they rid you off daily..

    Yesterday at 9:05 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
    Shawn

    No.......hell no

    Yesterday at 8:39 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
    SHIRLEY

    No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Yesterday at 8:32 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
    Dennis D

    HELL NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Yesterday at 8:29 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
    luckycur

    You bet! smart enough to know its the Congress & Senate that lead the country, and that they will continue to rack up debt to ensure they buy enough votes to remain on the taxpayer paid gravy train. That said, save, and invest as if there is no tomorrow, don't play flunkie and pull your money out of investments when the economy drops, because it has, and will continue to run up and down in ten year cycles. This allows the wealthy to buy low and sell high, with both stocks, and real estate.

    Yesterday at 8:19 AM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply