You Thought Things Were Tight

Now, there are numbers to prove it.

Income Fell For Most Americans In First Five Years Under Bush

Americans earned a smaller average income in 2005 than in 2000, the fifth consecutive year that they had to make ends meet with less money than at the peak of the last economic expansion, new government data shows. While incomes have been on the rise since 2002, the average income in 2005 was $55,238, still nearly [...]

Is that correct?  Or, is this?..

NYT Twists Data: Makes Great Personal Income News Appear Awful

The New York Times has to work very hard to make the performance of the economy during the past few years look bad. This morning, David Cay Johnston did his part. Bear with the technical stuff for a bit; the meat will arrive shortly. Every year, the IRS publishes information about the tax returns it received in the second preceding year. 2005's tax-return data was [...]

Similar counter-argument here, but the NYT author jumps into the debate with his own response in the comments!

Confused?  Perhaps Carpetbagger Report can help you find your footing..

Why so many are unsatisfied with the economy

The right frequently seems genuinely mystified as to why so many Americans tell pollsters how unsatisfied they are with the economy. Bush and his allies frequently say, “Look at GDP and unemployment rates! You guys should be thrilled! What kind of idiots are you people?” Maybe news like this will help conservatives better understand the widespread [...]

Tags: Economy, Income

Powered by Qumana