Thank you!! FINALLY someone firing back with some live ammo, instead of the repetitive anti-liberal stuff that we're getting tired of... Saying that the bear market started in 2000 because of Clinton isn't a very good argument, since I can show you strong growth for nearly every other year from 92-00, making a stronger case for Clinton being an underlying factor in a bull market rather than a bear market. So let's put that aside and think about the underlying state of the economy... I think the interesting thing about the market from 92-00 compared to now is what the underlying factors driving its performance happen to be. 92-00 was a period of rapid growth; 00-present has been shrinkage and stagnation, despite money being practically free. So why are the economic numbers so terrible since 2000? Let's ignore the S&P overall performance in light of the bubble, and focus on the difference between the 1996 economy and the 2002 economy.
Tell me if I've got this right: You're one of those extremely un-stupid people who believes that a President runs the economy, and that economic cycles directly correspond to terms in office? From the perspective of economic cycles, Clinton was very lucky. He did a pretty good job, all things considered, of not messing things up too badly while he was in office - and that IS saying something. The heavy lifting was done one when downsizing, re-tooling, and other factors in the late 80s temporarily caused a spike in unemployment, and a decrease in revenues, and deepened the recession that was already ending by the time that Clinton took office. Objectively, I don't credit Bush 41, or Clinton either with the '90s boom. Nor, in my opinion, can you credit Reagan with the secular bull market of which the mania market was the climax, though Clinton and Reagan were both good cheerleaders, while Bush 41 and Jimmy Carter were terrible ones. It's not an entirely insignificant role, as consumer and investor confidence do count. Bush 43 has had other priorities - but has correctly determined that confidence is not going to rebound while people are worrying about the next spectacular terrorist attack. If the economy rebounds, amidst success in the war on terrorism, then he'll deserve some credit for having helped prevent external threats from pushing us over the brink.
Kye, I never said nor subscribed to the idea that Reagan and Bush are stupid. Just the contrary. Cream rises to the top.
to already GUARANTEED himself re-election! That's a neat trick for this being 4/03, and the election 1 1/2 years away. He won the Texas Governers race as well. Face it, he's a great person and president, whose a WINNER !! I thank my lucky stars everyday for the 2000 election result.