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The median home sales price for single family homes was $139,000.00 in 2000
Note also that I posted a link to government data. The median price home according to the Census Bureau was $119K in 2000. What is the source of your datapoint?
So you provided a chart of China's rapid rise of GDP during the past 20 years.
If this China chart is so significant, then wouldn't gas prices also have risen rapidly during the Clinton Years ?
Again with the false logic. The rise in China's GDP is a function of other nation's demand for the products they produce. It does not factor in the relative supply of oil, or other geo-political factors.
As our demand for products has exploded, China has responded. Note that the increase is not linear - its almost an exponential increase in demand. Accordingly, prices would rise greater in the latter years than they would in the earlier years. Oil is not just used in gas. Plastics, and many other products consume oil. The number of cars in China and India as exploded, as well during the same time period. I guess this is Bush's fault also?
In other words, prices will increase at an increasing rate as the curve moves further upward. The recent downward drop in prices is a direct response to the decrease in demand. As our economy has suffered, so has China's - we are their biggest customer.
If this China chart is so significant, then wouldn't gas prices also have risen rapidly during the Clinton Years ?
Where's your logic now ???
Some slowing in China is probably inevitable now, given the sheer size of the market. Annual sales of vehicles have doubled in four years, reaching 8.8 million in 2007 from 4.3 million in 2003. In the process, China overtook Japan as the world's second-largest vehicle market after the U.S.
China's auto industry nears growth speed bump - MarketAvenue (http://www.marketavenue.cn/upload/articles/ARTICLES_1928.htm - broken link)
Not just there though and the military uses a good amount of fuel also. China is also in it's industrial revolution period IMO.
Again with the false logic. The rise in China's GDP is a function of other nation's demand for the products they produce. It does not factor in the relative supply of oil, or other geo-political factors.
As our demand for products has exploded, China has responded. Note that the increase is not linear - its almost an exponential increase in demand. Accordingly, prices would rise greater in the latter years than they would in the earlier years. Oil is not just used in gas. Plastics, and many other products consume oil. The number of cars in China and India as exploded, as well during the same time period. I guess this is Bush's fault also.
Sorry ... I don't buy your logic.
You are simply creating an answer which meets your pre-determined conclusion.
Gas remained in the $1.25 - $1.75 range during all of the Clinton years 1993 - 2000.
It should have been rising during those years as well if China's GDP was the main cause of the spike in gas prices between 2001 - 2008.
It couldn't have simply jumped on the exact year Bush took office, and then continued to spike upwards from there.
You are simply creating an answer which meets your pre-determined conclusion.
Gas remained in the $1.25 - $1.75 range during all of the Clinton years 1993 - 2000.
It should have been rising during those years as well if China's GDP was the main cause of the spike in gas prices between 2001 - 2008.
It couldn't have simply jumped on the exact year Bush took office, and then continued to spike upwards from there.
I am at a loss to help you understand. You might never get it. Are you seriously interested or just passing time? I don't mind continuing if you are interested.
Homeownership is at a record high, unemployment rates as of today are as low (or lower) than during most of the Clinton years, marginal tax rates are at a 65 year low, American standard of living in comparative terms is higher than ever, gas costs less than it did 25 years ago adjusted for inflation, there are more opportunities today for minorities than ever, defense spending as a percent of GDP is at an all-time low, just WTF you Demmies are so angry about? What do expect Obama to accomplish to make your life better?
These are all undisputable facts. Since you will focus on discounting the facts rather than a true debate, I'll start with this, and add as needed:
Dizzy from your spin...real wages are down significantly as an economic measure, home ownership is a deceptive premise as it nicely ignores home DEBTORSHIP. Savings rates of american families are at an all-time low, due to such things as energy expense, and debt servicing has eroded discretionary cash flow. We have been an economy built for and built on consumption, not production (60% consumer driven). GDP as a relative valuation against out national DEBT is actually in far worse condition. This has DOUBLED under Bush from 5 to 10 TRILLION dollars. And what is the actual data you are using to define American standard of living? If it is the Consumer Price Index then this was nicely revised in the Clinton administration to leave out pesky items that drove it in the wrong direction. Additionally, household net worth has been built on the premise of home "market" value...which we all know to be a misrepresentative view...which in turn spawned credit binges which in turn drove up favorable measures such as discretionary spending habits, etc. If things are so rosy, then please explain why we just had to roll out TARP, a trillion dollar fed rescue bill, and pull quasi-government companies into conservatorship? Why has the financial market soured. Based on your charts/premise I would assume the brilliant minds at a Goldman Sachs would have been buying stocks, not trying to get out from under a de-regulated credit crisis at 40-1 leverage...and that is the myth in all of the historical data. Starting in the 80's we began to make money off of other money...never actually producing or making as much anymore...just moving credit around. Our economy has become fiction and why our credit markets have now slowed to a crawl.
You see, you have made this a Democrat versus Republican issue. And the economy will continue to toil if you get lost in the partisan side of it and never realize things are very bad, we are in a global recession, and our elected government officials are by the way all quite wealthy thank you. I do well also, I fall into the above 250k club, but I am also of the belief that this all needs to be rebalanced so that I am not making zero in the near future. You might feel quite confident right now, and nobody should begrudge you of that. But success for the US will never return for our economy or your future earnings if things are not re-balanced. The economy is an over-liquidated fed reserve/congress/presidential mess. McCain and Obama voted for the rescue plan. The earmark "warrior" let it be stuffed with pork to win over House Republicans so I am not sure how anyone can believe he will be "mavericky" enough to reform what has gone on the past eight years (Yes, so did Obama, but he has not been riding around on an earmark white horse). McCain's first "hire" was Palin. I do not trust his executive management acumen. I differ greatly with a healthcare proposal that TAXES benefits as income. I work in a significant leadership role in HR, the 5k credit is $7500 short. I am revising my corporate plans upward based on cost due to uncompensated care issues related to ER admittals and servicing the uninsured. This must be repaired. I have NO IDEA if Obama's plan can even be implemented, but I am firm in my understanding that McCains would further destroy the system and not solve the cost issue. I am not some Obama-bot, I am entitled to an opinion like everyone else. I am giving the Dem's a shot this time around. The Republicans can come back in 4 years and try to win me over...
And if one more Republican shill disparages others religion (muslim for example), decides to focus on some aged professor or trots out a stupid birth certificate claim I might scream...many of my blue collar friends and family trot these things out when discussing Obama and then claim they are voting for McCain in the end because he will be better for their wallet. Most of them are union employees...they have NO IDEA that McCain has consistently opposed the Davis-Bacon act which mandates a local prevailing wage for federally funded projects. Most Republicans do as they are typically not pro-union as unions tend to not be pro-business (I do not necessarily disagree). But this is the type of uninformed voter we have walking around. Any union guy/gal that votes McCain should be shot by their shop steward. So I am also voting Obama to protect my poor family/friends from themselves...
I am at a loss to help you understand. You might never get it. Are you seriously interested or just passing time? I don't mind continuing if you are interested.
Does the air get "thin" way up there on top of your soapbox?
Jrprofes - you have posted some valid questions, which I will respond to Saturday. The wife calls.
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