How do you answer this question: Are YOU Better off NOW than in 2010?

Regardless of your circumstance, let’s consider the nation as a whole and review some published statistics comparing 2010 to 2013

We must do our own research and draw our own conclusions based on the reported stats.

                                                                        2010                           2012                           2013

Employment to population Ratio           58.5% (3/10)              58.5% (3/12)              58.6% (12/13)

I am not an economist nor am I an expert on anything but the ratio is essentially the same over the past three years!! Unless I am wrong, jobs being added match the net increase in the employed population.  The unemployed number will not decrease until more jobs are added. But the number has actually been going down! Troublesome don’t you think?

Median Income                                           $49,445                      $51,373                      $51,404 (12/13)

Note: 15% of our population or 46,500,000 Americans are living in poverty with an income below $29,437 for a family of 4. This statistic has remained relatively constant over the 3-yr comparison period. In 2008, the median income was $53,644. We are keeping up with inflation but certainly not getting ahead.

 

National Debt as Percentage of GDP    86.4% (1/10)              101.7% (6/12)           113%+ (3/13)

Inflation Rate                                               1.24% (7/10)              1.41% (7/12)              1.5% (12/13)

Note: remember the inflation rate does not include food and energy costs 

Median price of Ex. Homes                      $177,900                   $171,250                   $174,000

Mortgage Interest Rates (30-yr fixed)        4.38%                         3.54%                         4.48%

Note: for 2014, I expect interest rates to increase and may be over 5% by the end of the year.

This will  not be helpful for a recovering economy --- flat incomes, rising home prices, and rising mortgage interest rates.

Gas / gal                                                        $2.78                          $3.61                          $3.49

SOURCE: By Chris Isidore@CNNMoney December 31, 2013

Ground Beef/ lbs                                        $2.49                          $3.08                          $3.46 (12/13)

You should do your own research and determine what is important to you and your family.

All I know is that it is tough out there and we need to help others.

I am sorry to report that the state of the union is not doing so well.

It may very well be on life support because of $17,000,000,000,000 of debt. 

We continue to ask those that created the problem to correct the problem. 

Those in power use polls and stats to support their beliefs until the American people tell them something else and then - they just ignore us! True or False?

When is it time for us to say --- Enough is Enough---- probably when it is too late!