The Bush Inheritance

A little while ago, Iowahawk put out a Tweet that really got me thinking:

“You know who else inherited an economy from George Bush? Rick Perry.”

 

I thought it might be educational to take a look at a snapshot as of January 2009, when President Obama took over from President George W. Bush.

Unemployment: 7.9%.

Federal Debt: $10.6 trillion

Dow Jones Industrial Average (January 20):  7949.09

Price of gallon of gasoline (January 19): $1.85

United States Senate: 57 Democrats, 2 Independents (nominal Democrats), 41 Republicans

United States House: 256 Democrats, 178 Republicans

(Democratic majorities of just under 60% in each House)

Oh, and there was also a federal budget in place. A lousy one, admittedly (I don’t recall the last time there was one that wasn’t lousy), but a budget, passed by Congress and signed by the president.

 

No one denies that Obama was given a lousy hand to work with. But, two and a half years later, one thing is clear:

He found ways to take a crap sandwich and make it even worse.

ObamaCare Shot Down -- For Now
"$2 million in federal subsidies per job"