Clinton vs. Bush on the economy. Do you dare to compare?

Question

The economic record is quantifiable, so it isn't a matter of opinion. Do a little research and compare the following pieces of data:

1) THE INFLATION RATE when each took over, and when each left office (or to date, for Bush).

2) THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE " " " " " " " " "

3) INTEREST RATES " " " " " " " " " " " " " "

4) THE DEFICIT " " " " " " " " " " " " " " "

5) THE MAJOR STOCK INDICES " " " " " " " " " "

On each and every one of these, the Clinton record tops Bush's. Clearly. This forces right-wing apologists to make feeble excuses that won't wash. If Bush had lowered inflation, unemployment, interest rates, and the DEFICIT, these same rightists who refuse to give Clinton credit for anything would be quick to give Bush all credit. What sniveling phonies!

See what I mean about feeble excuses? Clinton's economy was a lot more than an Internet Bubble, one of the mroe popular ones. I did not invest in Internet stocks, I invested in old Blue Chip companies, and I did well. So did everyone else.

And there's another one: "It's because of the Republican Congress". No, it's because Clinton raised taxes to reduce the deficit, and held the line on spending (unlike Bush!).

I also notice how some here will NOT compare the actual statistics, and instead claim, without basis, that Bush's stats are better. Oh really? Let's take Interest Rates. HOW can Bush's be better when they've RAISED rates several times since taking over?? And Clinton got unemployment UNDER 4%. Bush people crow about 4.7%!

Your facts are WRONG, Wofpack. And Clinton didn't "spend like crazy"-- it is BUSH that has raised Federal spending by over 45%!

Answer 1

People who don't agree just come on, say "hey check your facts!! It's not true" and leave.

Please if you think that you have a single economic number where Bush beats Clinton, please provide a source.

I think the biggest issue here is that the bright glare from Bush's mistakes in Iraq often obscure his mistakes in other facets of his tenure

EDIT:
Johnny 2 TImes: If you look that up you'll see that the GDP numbers favor Clinton also.

It sucks when numbers tell you a story you don't want to hear

Answer 2

Outside of lowering taxes, there is really nothing the government can really do for the economy, except screw it up (just watch what the Dems plan on doing). Amazing how most people do not have the slightest clue about that. The President and Congress do not manage the economy oh foolish ones, the private sector is what makes it all happen Libbies. Government just needs to get the hell out of the way and not smother the economic fire by raising taxes for their own ambitious and wasteful spending programs. In many cases, revenues do not go up, but actually decline. A lesson the Dems never understand. Revenues are way up following the tax cuts Libbies. What say you?

Answer 3

OK you need to consider Fed policy - you're comparing a runner going downhill with a runner going uphill. The Fed came off the brakes way too early in '94 and '97 - doing this in '97 created the NASDAQ bubble. The Fed then pricked this bubble with interest rate hikes in '99-'00.

Conversely, the economy is still pretty strong now, six months after the Fed's longest rate hike cycle in decades.

That said, Clinton's record, even without Fed help, would have been good.

And the reason?

"Righty" economic policies - he undid none of Reagan's de-regulation, he undid almost none of Reagan's personal income tax cuts, he created huge corporate tax loopholes - mostly through the regulations pursuant to the '97 tax act, not just by signing the tax act, so he did this himself, he gutted Glass-Steagall, further de-regulating the financial services sector, and he signed the welfare reform bill. He also expanded free trade.

All of which came to the chagrin of the Democrat base.

Arguably Clinton on the economy alone was to the right of Bush '41.

Yes, Clinton was strong on the economy - precisely because he did the opposite of what the Kennedy/Kerry crowd wanted and still wants.

Answer 4

Agreed, but what kind of gov't did we have in the 90s? We had a Repub. congress and a Dem. pres.. They cancelled each other out and put the gov't in gridlock. Nothing passed that would interfere with the growth of the economy. The best way to improve your economy is to leave it alone. Both parties don't know what the hell they're doing so our best situation is to pit them against each other so they really don't accomplish anything in DC.

The gov't is secondary, a kind of extension of a country's economy that provides security, legal and otherwise. We the people don't need any help from the gov't to keep this country going.

I just realized though how much blame we put on this moron who is currently the leader of the free world(LMAO). Whether or not you voted for him he represents OUR culture and system. The Dems failed to offer a (seemingly) better candidate for both elections. This country needs some serious soul-searching in order to survive because this twit is too busy golfing and praying in order to accomplish anything.

We should use that new cloning science and clone Benjamin Franklin and elect him.

Answer 5

Bush has done a wonderful job considering the mess Clinton left our nation in. Clinton was a lying pompus *** who drove our economy into the ground with the highest taxation since Hoover. No ones life was improved during the Clinton years... There was more bankruptcies, drug use, homelessness, abortions, teen pregnancies, and yes military actions that the left never demonstrated against .... the list goes on and on....
Bush was handed a recession a declining stock market and to boot we were attacked because the Clinton regime failed to act after numerous attacks of not only military sites, but U.S. sites as well...(Somalia, Khobar Towers, USS Cole, the world trade center bombings in 93, the consulates in Africa....on and on) We were pictured as weak by our now militant extremist Islamist adversaries and with all of that in hand Bush has excelled at running a war and still having a booming economy..... You have to be clueless to ignore the facts between the two and not be true to yourself in how the nation is running.... Get off your political high horse and look at all that HAS been accomplished..... Your blindness to the truth is seen by all of us who actually see the light.

Note: GDP in 1997 was barely 10.00 it currently stands at around 35.00....
The stock market has hit all time highs during the Bush Admin
The unemployment rate was at it lowest toward the end of Clinton's regime @3.9%... but was heading higher after he(Clinton) screwed up our our economy and the trend started to go up as he handed a recession to Bush ... Who has brought down the unemployment rate to 4.9%.... again you jest.... The U.S. under a war time president has beaten the Clinton Regime hands down.... To boot there is now an all time high of home ownership including ownership by minorities...... This topic is truly hilarious....

Answer 6

I think you're numbers are a little off, but since I work for a living and don't have all day to spend looking up the information I will give you the benefit of the doubt. However, you did say something correct, Clinton raised taxes, don't you believe that we pay more than enough in taxes already.

Answer 7

Clinton caught the high tech bubble - he does not get credit for a bubble that popped. It was a roller coaster ride for all of us in stocks. We went to the top & then someone shoved us off as it was an way over inflated market that many losy their retirement on including my brother in law.
The deficit is always from what is set up years before. The Democrats & Clinton knew they were going out of power & they were spending like crazy - thus thde deficit rose. Immediate spending does not show up in deficit.
Unemployment rate at all time low, interest rates were at lowest under Bush but now on rise again. Market flucations.
You give Clinton way too much credit.

Answer 8

Bush economy is better.

Clinton's economy soared on the internet bubble, which popped 1 1/2 yrs before he left office. Also, the budget was balanced in his terms by a republican congress.

Republicans pushed Clinton to sign on to welfare reform, capital gains tax cuts and spending curbs that produced a booming economy and balanced budget. They kept him from raising taxes, as he did in 1993, when his record tax hike nearly sank the economy. They also kept him from signing the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty.

Answer 9

Clinton's economy was inflated by an unsustainable stock market bubble.

The fact that the two are comparable speaks volumes, considering that Bush's economy has endured war, a housing market collapse, accounting scandals, and the first major terrorist attack on American soil.

And I noticed that you did not include the largest single indicator of economic health, real GDP growth. Why didn't you mention that one?


Love the thumbs down. Some people are so ignorant it actually causes me to pity them.

And Fasc, I know you can find the GDP numbers. Why haven't you posted them yet????? Hmmmmm.

Answer 10

Curious George took a surplus and turned it into a record deficit.

Our debt? Reaching $9,000,000,000,000...