#FlashbackFriday: Where We Were & Where We Are
CNN Money – Unemployment claims highest since '82
New York Times – Retail Sales Are Weakest in 35 Years
McClatchy DC – Big jobs losses point to deepening recession
New York Times – The second Great Depression has arrived …
SF Gate – It's official: U.S. in recession all of 2008
New York Times – U.S. Loses 533,000 Jobs in Biggest Drop Since 1974
A lot has changed since then. Under President Obama and the Democrats' leadership:
- The United States economy continues to improve. Just last month in November, it added 321,000 jobs – making it 57 straight monthsof growth with media reports describing it as the "best pace since 1999"and bringing the total to 10.9 million new jobs.
- The manufacturing sector added 15,000 jobs per month, and the average workweek for those workers is the highest since World War II.
- U.S. exports of goods and services through the 3rd quarter of 2014 increased by 3 percent from 2013, putting us on pace for a fifth consecutive year of record exports!
- The deficit has been cut by nearly two-thirds as a share of the economy.
- Gas prices continue to fall, heading to lowest levels in 11 years and saving families hundreds of dollars.
- And in fact, according to Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index (COMFCOMF), consumer confidence has risen to "the highest reading since mid-November 2007." [12/18/14]
Progress has been made, but more needs to be done. The American economy would be a whole lot better if only Speaker Boehner and Republicans dropped their so-called GOP "jobs" bills proven by prominent economists to simply not have "many" jobs in them and worked with Democrats to pass the Middle Class Jumpstart agenda that the American people want.