2008: Bush’s Last Year By The Numbers
2008: Bush’s Last Year By The Numbers
President Bush issued a statement yesterday in which he heralded New Year’s day as “an opportunity to remember the events of the past and look forward with hope to the year ahead.” But as Bush looks forward to leaving office, the nation is stuck with the results of many of the Bush administration’s failed policies.
To mark the passing of Bush’s last full year in office, ThinkProgress rounded up statistics on some of the most significant effects of Bush rule in 2008:
– Number Of U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq: 322.
– Number Of U.S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan: 151.
– Number Of Jobs Lost: 1.9 million.
– Number Of Banks Federal Government Now Owns Stock In: 206.
– Number Of Uninsured Americans: 47.5 million.– Change In Housing Prices: declined 18 percent.
– Change In Health Insurance Premiums: increased 5 percent.
– Change In Number Of Delinquent Mortgages: increased 75 percent.
– Change In Use Of Food Stamps: increased 17 percent.
– Change In Dow Jones Industrial Average: declined 35 percent.
– Change In Bush Approval Rating: declined 9 percent to 29 percent.
Paul Krugman noted recently that the Bush administration’s failings have often been obscured in the short-run because the White House was particularly effective at inventing an alternate reality that it then “impressed on the public.” In 2008, however, despite its repeated attempts to wish it away, the reality of its domestic policy failures caught up with Bush administration and the nation.
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January 1st, 2009 at 3:07 pmBush to the US: F uck you!
January 1st, 2009 at 3:11 pm46% of the largest electorate in history voted to continue those moronic, dangerous, criminal policies…
Yeah, they lost…but they aint gonna change their minds…
January 1st, 2009 at 3:12 pmWith the mention of ‘impressed on the public’ in the article I just laughed. This administration has never done anything that was impressive in a positive way, and, it has never impressed me, or, diverted my attention from all of the crimes they have commited. I am so damned sick of them.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:13 pmJanuary 20, 2009
January 1st, 2009 at 3:16 pmBushie, you’re doing a heckuva job…
January 1st, 2009 at 3:20 pmI bet Bush will think that the huge crowd that shows up for the Obama inauguration are there for him (Bush).
I hope he gets booood, loudly; Rick Warren too.
¶ AIO
January 1st, 2009 at 3:22 pmThese are quite astonishing statistics for the WORST President & Vice President in our nation’s history & probably the future too.
The only reason we had to endure these jackasses is because of a 5-4 Supreme Court vote, I hope you are proud of this Duo Clarence Thomas.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:23 pmMark Halperin will soon come out with his own Bush numbers, on how the man is really a genius, a great man, and that Mount Rushmore should be destroyed and Bush’s bust should be put up there.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:23 pmLet’s make GW Botch 1st in 2009!
The first US president shipped off to The Hague for crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide and murder.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:25 pmO/T – TURNS MY STOMACH
3 arrested in N. California gang rape of lesbian
January 1st, 2009 at 3:27 pmYou forgot 1 statistic, 400,000 more abortions in the 8 years of Chimpy’s presidency than the 8 years of the Clinton presidency. Which party is more pro-life? The difference was Clinto believed in educating people about sex. The repgs believe in abstinance & stupidity. Just ask Bristol Palin.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:28 pmIf you look at the numbers since January 20, 2001 it’s even more breathtaking in its suckitude and abject failure.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:53 pmThen there’s the National Debt, up $986,000,000,000 from Sept 07 to Sept 08. (i.e. not counting the $700,000,000,000 borrowed to give away to the financial industry)
January 1st, 2009 at 3:54 pmBut by golly, you betcha, history will judge them kindly and decide they did a helluva job!
January 1st, 2009 at 3:56 pmExcellent article and summary TP… an article to send out/blog widely.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:01 pmAnd those statistics will not only be in the history books as part of the clown President’s legacy but should be on his epitaph. Worst President ever.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:04 pmHelen, certainly. All one need to is go to the Bush Library for proof that Bush won the war on terror while balancing the budget, paying off the national debt, and bringing about full employment and economic prosperity to the entire planet:
January 1st, 2009 at 4:08 pm
This President lives his life in an alternate universe. It must be comforting to see things as you wish and not as they are. It is too bad we can’t do that. All we have is the horrible reality of what he left. A debacle of huge proportions.
And still there will be some apologists, and some idiot Republicans that will vote Republican again. Against their own best interests. Still drinking the kool aid.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:10 pmThat’s what happens when millions mouth-breathers elect someone who’s brain is equivalent to a mustard seed rattling around inside an empty boxcar!
January 1st, 2009 at 4:19 pmDUH!
You forgot 1 statistic, 400,000 more abortions in the 8 years of Chimpy’s presidency than the 8 years of the Clinton presidency. Which party is more pro-life? The difference was Clinto believed in educating people about sex. The repgs believe in abstinance & stupidity. Just ask Bristol Palin.
I imagine that the increase was caused by would-be mothers viewing the array phenomenally complex clusterphucks the busheviks would leave behind, and the moms decided against imposing that ‘life’ on some innocent kid…
January 1st, 2009 at 4:26 pmDespite facts and statistics that fly in their faces, Bushies and the repugs continue to keep a large portion of Americans believing that they did not fail.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:27 pmFacts such as those listed above will be denied and twisted so to favor Bushie and blame Dems and Obama.
Bush&C0 have succeeded in pushing all of our problems onto Obama’s desk, while they and their spokesmen continue to spin the facts, and they are being allowed to do so with the cooperation of the msm.
I just heard someone on CNN start blaming Obama/Clinton for troubles in Gaza. No one seems to question that Bush is absent and derelict.
Discount on sale of Neuberger Berman, the investment arm of Lehman Brothers-58%
Bush cousin George Herbert Walker and brother Jeb puchased 51% of Neuberger with no money down.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:29 pmMembers of the SCOTUS like Thomas couldn’t care less about the damage Bush caused by Bush&Co. They have their own agenda, their power and money; like most repugs, that’s all that is important to them.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:29 pm# 12 McWars
I have been watching the story also as I listen to kgo 810 am at night. They need to throw the book at these freaks to set an example. What a hideous act of violence.
It seems bumper stickers draw out the crazies and it is not safe to express orientation or political preferences. At one time, before the Bush years we could have stickers without the heightened violence or road rage… no longer… I have my stories and I am sure many out there do also.
Another area worsened by the Bush years.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:36 pmWildly partisan hack, Bay Buchanan, is already saying the war in Afghanistan is Obama’s war.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:42 pmHere’s a statistic, 2 ass pimples, 1 POTUS, 1 VP who couldn’t piss in a boot. Yet they like to be cowboys & wear them. These numbers qualify them for new jobs as janitors in a porno palace.
I’m sorry if I have offended any current porno palace janitors.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pmDomestic Terrorist Attacks: Zero
January 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pmTenet Health Board compensation for brother Jeb-$37,000 a day
http://www.thestreet.com/funds/followmoney/10355637.html
January 1st, 2009 at 4:48 pmKeltoi at Night Says:
Domestic Terrorist Attacks: Zero
January 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Can you say ANTHRAX?
January 1st, 2009 at 4:51 pmDeaths omitted from Bush Katrina Lessons Learned report-34
24-LifeCare Hospital, purchased weeks before landfall by the Carlyle Group. LifeCare rented a floor in Memorial Medical Center.
10-Memorial Medical Center, owned by Tenet Health.
The hospital with the highest death toll warranted not one mention in Bush’s promised robust investigative report. A year after the omission, Jeb landed a spot on Tenet’s Board of Directors.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:51 pmSanta taking out a few seems like a domestic terrorist attack to me…
January 1st, 2009 at 4:56 pmKeltoi at Night Says:
“Domestic Terrorist Attacks: Zero”
Keltoi must not have been paying attention in 2001, when Bush was in office for 9 months. September 11, 2001, it was in all the papers. His ultimate failure and one of his many sad legacies
January 1st, 2009 at 4:56 pmNumber Of Uninsured Americans: 47.5 million.
Thats a lie!
It must be at least 55 million.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:56 pmThanks W-ya for rolling back the clock with lack of interest in any domestic policies. Whenever I hear things like job losses worst in decades, or housing prices slipping to level not seen in decades…then I think how in 8 long years this “President” has set us back so much.
His only legacy can be that he took this country backwards instead of forwards. January 20th, 2009 cannot come fast enough!!
January 1st, 2009 at 5:05 pmHave always assumed that “loyalty” among the Bushies is like honor among thieves. Am hoping for a cannibalistic orgy after the 20th. At least we can watch themselves tear each other to threads.
January 1st, 2009 at 5:09 pmNumber of Shoes thrown at President:
UP 200%
January 1st, 2009 at 5:15 pmKeltoi at Night Says:
Domestic Terrorist Attacks: Zero
Keltoi that is the worst post you have ever made here. Usually you have some semblance of reason to your posts. This is just retarded. One major domestic terrorist attack and one major war for no reason during Bush’s reign.
Are you THAT hung over?
January 1st, 2009 at 5:19 pmDomestic Terrorist Attacks: Zero
-Keltoi at Night
You seem to be forgetting the biggest attack since Pearl Harbor.
January 1st, 2009 at 5:35 pmThe tragedies behind these statistics notwithstanding, we would be stuck with President John McCain were the numbers a teensy bit more favorable.
As long as this nation’s public education system sucks, we liberals are tolerated only when right-wingers get the country/world in such a jam that “social conservatives” have no choice but to turn to us for salvation.
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
January 1st, 2009 at 6:12 pmB, b, but he’s kept us safe since 9/11…..what terrorist could have inflicted any more damage than this bunch of GOP asswipes?
January 1st, 2009 at 6:25 pmOkay, so we know that Keltoi bungled his comment by ignoring the single greatest attack on American soil, which happened to have occurred during Bush’s presidency, and we’ve also mentioned the anthrax attacks… but how about the DC snipers? Wouldn’t that count? Does it have to be a foreign terrorist attack?
And let’s not forget all of the insurgent attacks on American armed forces in Iraq. The fact that Bush has as much as admitted that they were useful decoys or lightning rods (”fight ‘em there so we don’t have to fight ‘em here”) seems like we ought to consider the frightening cost of this type of “protection”, no?
January 1st, 2009 at 6:35 pmZooey Says:
Can you say ANTHRAX?
Then there’s
the Virginia Tech shooting;
mall shootings; and the recent
“Santa” rampage.
We give up the 4th Amendment to be “safe” yet Homeland Security couldn’t prevent the above tragedies.
January 1st, 2009 at 7:10 pmOh, and does the police brutality at the RNC and DNC conventions count as State-sponsored domestic terrorism?
January 1st, 2009 at 7:12 pmWhen the shrub can in as a “Compassionate Conservative”, the Harvard MBA president, the grownup to restore intergrity to the White House, the National Debt was around $6 Trillion dollars and there was a Budget surplus.
Today, the National Debt is over $11 Trillion dollars with Budget deficts into the forseeable future. All the while the BushCo cronies (BIG OIL & MIC) were raking in the bucks with their arms into our Treasury up to their armpits.
Bush added another $5 Trillion dollars, so far, to my kids and grandkids debt, your’s too. Then he just kicks the can down the road for someone else to deal with and rides off into the sunset after allowing the greatest theft of the American Treasury ever.
Bush needs the historical toe tag that screems IMPEACHED! Won’t happen, I will suggest it for as long as I live.
The SOB “get away with it!”
GWB worst president ever!
January 1st, 2009 at 7:18 pmBreaking news. Or is it not terrorism when white people do it? Or if they do it for money?
January 1st, 2009 at 7:18 pmMcWars Says:
O/T – TURNS MY STOMACH
3 arrested in N. California gang rape of lesbian
~~~~~
Please know that the community did not let this crime go unnoticed:
These cretins were caught with the help of caring citizens.
“Outpouring Of Support For Richmond Rape Victim”
http://cbs5.com/local/richmond.gang.rape.2.895842.html
January 1st, 2009 at 7:29 pmHow about the number four? As in the four indictments at Nuremburg:
1. Conspiracy to Wage Aggressive War
2. Waging Aggressive War, or “Crimes Against Peace”
3. War Crimes
4. Crimes Against Humanity
January 1st, 2009 at 8:12 pmBin Laden is laughing at this bunch. They completed the job he started. Bush did more damage to the USA than Bin Laden even dreamed possible.
January 1st, 2009 at 8:27 pmHeck. Uvva. Job. George.
January 1st, 2009 at 9:31 pmGood riddance in 20 days.
Don’t start any more wars, OK?
Hey, Keltoi-
January 1st, 2009 at 9:39 pmBush to CIA agent who was very worried about imminent terrorist attack, sent to Crawford Texas, August 2001: “OK, you’ve covered your ass. You can go.”
Cuz, if there was one thing W valued most, it was his vacations.
Short memory?
Keltoi at Night Says:
Domestic Terrorist Attacks: Zero
January 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pm
_________
Anti-Latino Hate Crimes Rise for Fourth Year in a Row -
http://www.splcenter.org/ blog/ 2008/ 10/ 29/ anti-latino-hate-crimes-rise-for-fourth-year/
1000+ anti-gay hate crimes in 2008
January 1st, 2009 at 9:51 pmhttp://current.com/ items/ 89652191/ 1000_anti_gay_hate_crimes_in_2008.htm
Two Advisers Reflect on Eight Years With Bush
Bolten and Hadley Decry ‘Mythologies’
[...] “This notion that somehow the president didn’t know what was going on, information was withheld from him in some way, he didn’t have a picture of what was going on: He got that picture” — Hadley smacked his palms together for emphasis — “at 7 o’clock every morning.”
Few officials have had a closer view of the Bush presidency over the past eight years than Bolten and Hadley, who are among the handful of senior staffers who entered the White House with Bush in 2001 and will exit with him on Jan. 20. [...]
Last week, in lengthy interviews in the spacious chief of staff’s office in the West Wing, Bolten and Hadley reflected on their White House years and painted an affectionate portrait of the president. As two of the top officials who have had to defend controversial administration policies for the duration of the Bush presidency, they voiced frustration over their inability to improve Bush’s popularity and to counter the administration’s image of arrogance. But in a wide-ranging conversation lasting more than two hours, the two men also rebutted what they consider common misconceptions of the George W. Bush era, such as the president’s alleged insulation from bad news and the view that Vice President Cheney wielded unbridled behind-the-scenes power.
[...]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/01/AR2009010101958.html?hpid=topnews
getcher boots on…
January 1st, 2009 at 9:57 pmAmericans will see more History in the making as Bush/Cheney’s plan back fired. The Middle East will join together and be one of the strongest areas of the World. In 2000 the US, China and Russia ruled. Bush held Iran, Saudi, Syria, North Korea even Iraq stand tall and grow worthy. Now Iran and North Korea can know claim they need Nukes to protect themselves from an attack from the US or Israel. Syria was bombed by Israel with the Bush Policy of a thought but nothing was found but woman and children were killed. Yes Syria got smart and is now getting their weapons from Russia. Israel has built their weapons supply as the Bush Administration gave them weapons and plans to attack Palestine. Thanks to the Bush Policy no country is safe and at any time for no reason at all a country can be attacked.
January 1st, 2009 at 11:08 pmWorst administration since Adolph’s crew went south.
January 1st, 2009 at 11:40 pmlivelongandprosper Says:
——————————————————————————–
Keltoi at Night Says:
Domestic Terrorist Attacks: Zero
Keltoi that is the worst post you have ever made here. Usually you have some semblance of reason to your posts. This is just retarded. One major domestic terrorist attack and one major war for no reason during Bush’s reign.
Are you THAT hung over?
Yes, I am (was) way freaking hung over.
But not, apparently, as hung over as you and all the others that failed to realize that the topic of the thread was 2008.
To mark the passing of Bush’s last full year in office, ThinkProgress rounded up statistics on some of the most significant effects of Bush rule in 2008:
But hey, whatever. Not only are conservatives better shots, we also hold our drink better. :)
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:54 amWell, lack of terrorist attacks isn’t an accomplishment, unless you’re positing that Bush and Bin Laden are in a conspiracy together, and jointly decided not to launch any.
In order to have a rational measurement that Bush could take credit for, it would have to be:
Number of terrorist attacks prevented: 0
That’s not an accomplishment either. In fact, it wouldn’t be worth mentioning except for all of the basic constitutional rights that have been violated in order to make this lack of an achievement possible.
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:02 amJust like the 2000 elections stolen by Bush, he stole our nation. It’s time to give it back! Having endured 8yrs of absolute failure, we are tougher. Democracy will make a huge comeback.
It is pretty obvious that he doesn’t care about the future of the US as a nation. He doesn’t give a damn about the middle class. His only cares are the have-mores war profiteers Zionist pigs.
January 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 amListen to the Black Sabbath song “War Pigs” it pretty much sums up the Chimpy/Darth presidency. These two draft dodging, chicken hawk war pigs will get on their judgement day, HELL.
Where can we sign up to shovel coal on them?
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:33 amKeltoi, yeah Conservatives are also stupider. That would be meaningful HOW? In just the last 200 years how many of those years WERE there domestic terrorist attacks? How many of THOSE were on Capt. Numbnutz watch? Did you think you made a point? Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME?
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:39 amEugeneDebs Says:
Keltoi, yeah Conservatives are also stupider. That would be meaningful HOW? In just the last 200 years how many of those years WERE there domestic terrorist attacks? How many of THOSE were on Capt. Numbnutz watch? Did you think you made a point? Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME?
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:39 am
__________
It all depends what you want to classify as a domestic terrorist attack. The KKK lynching a black man? The Symbionese Liberation Army holding hostages at a bank? The Right-to-Lifers blowing up a doctor’s office? A bomb at the Mexican Consulate in New York? Gangs beating an Ecuadoran immigrant to death?
If any of these acts were committed by Muslim groups, we’d immediately label them “terrorist.”
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:37 amRoscoe, Awesome!The Reich`s abstinence works so well that STD`s are way up in the teenage world of love and they have no idea of contraception due the ignorance on the right.
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:52 amThis is not a myth:
$30.1 trillion in market value wiped out
Note Bolten and Hadley never mentioned Hurricane Katrina in their NYT historical revisions. America noted Bush’s “deep knowledge and concern” in that domestic event.
The White House never released an internal time line with action taken regarding Katrina. They fought Congress’ request for e-mails between Andy Card and Frances Townsend. Bush’s promised robust investigation report was simply a bust. Much like his Presidency.
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:22 pmSounds like it’s a good time to buy stock and housing on the cheap, start an insurance company, hire a bunch of very qualified people who are now unemployed and take a trip to Iraq. You people see doom, I see opportunity. Maybe that’s why I’m a conservative democrat. We conservatives have been scientifically proven to be happier than liberal democrats. Must be all of that monogamy, bible and gun clinging.
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:35 pmhussein toasterhead Says:
True enough and a good point but if Kel was using that standard then the number in Bush’s last year would not be zero.
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:11 pmdrew3rd Says:
Nah conservatives have just been scientifically proven to be stupider than liberals. Have fun in Iraq. Go now, fly away, let not the opportunities you seek go wanting. Speak of it no more but hie thee away on the wings of your altruism of course tempered with the ever present conservative GREED. Let not that pesky reality thing constrain your boundless conservative optimism. Do not deprive Iraq of your peerless essence.
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:17 pmdrew3rd Says:
Sounds like it’s a good time to buy stock and housing on the cheap, start an insurance company, hire a bunch of very qualified people who are now unemployed and take a trip to Iraq. You people see doom, I see opportunity.
I see plenty of opportunity as well. Not only in the economy, but particularly in foreign policy. The future’s looking real bright about now. In fact, I was remarking on New Year’s eve, that this would be the first New Year in my lifetime when I’m really looking forward to next year being vastly better than the last.
However, I’m not going to thank Bush for creating such a “high opportunity margin” situation. Screwing everything up is still a bad thing, and in the interests of not letting wingnuts screw everything up again, it needs to be pointed out.
January 2nd, 2009 at 9:52 pmHow can you heartless bloggers fail to give BushCo the credit they deserve for keeping the United States safe, especially during 2008? In 2008, in the United States, we had:
–no earthquakes
–no Ebola epidemic
–no EL meteor/asteroid strikes
–no tsunamis
–no nuclear reactor “China Syndrome”
–no invasion of the eggplant that ate Chicago
–no monsoons
–no total eclipses of the sun
–no fire and brimstone raining down from heaven
–no rampaging herds of elephants
–no swarms of locusts
–no invasion of ETs. . .
How can you say that BushCo has done nothing to improve life in these United States?????
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:54 pm