I find myself ruminating on this question of what good has come from this 25 year experiment called the Reagan Revolution. This is lengthy enough to show results but I can't think of a single measurement where the country as a whole is better off than it was when Reagan took office.
I know you tried very hard to think of something. Let me see if I can help with just a few.
1. Misery index (sum of unemployment rate + inflation rate)
...Jan 1981: 19.33
...Mar 2008 9.08
2. Prime bank loan rate (prime corporate customers)
...Jan 1, 1981: 20.2
...Mar 1, 2008: 5.7
3. Spending on food as percent of U.S. disposable income
...1980: 13.4%
...2007: 10.4%
4. High school minority drop-out rates (percent)
...1980: Black: 19.1 Hispanic: 35.2
...2005: Black: 10.4 Hispanic: 22.4
5. Home ownership rate (percentage of households)
...1980: 65.6
...4th quarter 2007: 67.8
...(no doubt headed lower in 2008 re: foreclosures)
6. U.S. National homicide rate (per 100,000 population)
...1980: 10.2
...2005: 5.9
7. U.S. Traffic fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles
...1980: 3.3
...2005: 1.5
8. Home mortgage rate (see also prime bank loan rate)
...Jan 1981: 13.1%
...Jan 2008: 6.2%
9. Air pollution statistics in millions of tons/year
...Carbon monoxide 1980: 178.....2006: 88
...Lead 1980: 0.074....2006: .002
...Nitrous oxides 1980: 27.....2006: 18
...Sulfur dioxide 1980: 26.....2006: 14
10. Average U.S. passenger car fuel efficiency mpg
...1980: 16.0
...2006: 22.4
11. U.S. energy efficiency 1980-2006
...Population increase 32%; energy consumption increase 29%
12. U.S. mining industry workplace fatalities
...1980: 230
...2006: 75 (numbers approximate; read from graphic)
13. U.S. teen-age pregnancy rate per 1000 women ages 15-19
...1980: 111
...2002: 75.4
14. U.S. teen-age abortion rate per 1000 women ages 15-19
...1980: 42.8
...2002: 21.7
Not to mention improvements in life expectancy, broadening stock ownership, proliferation of 401-Ks and IRAs, computers and the whole internet culture with speed of access to information, growth of travel, and many other areas of improvement in the lives of Americans.
Where something other than 2007 data is shown, later data was not shown in the tables I accessed.
Please note I am not claiming that any particular improvement is, or was, due to Reaganism or conservatism or any particular administration. I am simply replying to your post as quoted above.
Nor do I deny that many areas of our economy and society need considerable work and improvement. Income disparities, immigration issues, excessive debt both federal and personal, foreclosures, alternative energy needs, political polarization and partisanship, globalization issues and impacts, U.S. infrastructure, taxation issues, healthcare, etc. etc.
John McCain will have a lot on his plate for the next 4 years. |
