Great Economy – Go Figure


2003 Bush Tax Cut: By The Numbers
Historic Tax Cut Boosts Growth, Lifts Stock Market, and Increases Jobs

$14,374,330,000,000 Total Increase in Household Wealth Since April 2003
$5,700,000,000,000 Total Increase in Shareholder Wealth Since May 20, 2003
$863,654,000,000 Total Amount of Tax Cuts Enacted Since Fiscal Year 2003
$783,890,000,000 Total Amount of Additional Tax Cuts to be Returned to Taxpayers Through 2010
$625,000,000,000 Total Increase in Federal Tax Revenues Since FY 2003
$207,788,000,000 Reduction in the Deficit in the Past 29 Months Due to Stronger Economic Growth
$98,600,000,000 Combined Income Gains for Shareholders From Dividend Increases & Tax Savings 03-05
$62,000,000,000 Surplus of Capital Gains Tax Revenue Not Accounted For By Revenue Estimators
$60,000,000,000 Deficit REDUCTION Since the Tax Cut Was Signed Into Law
300,001,643 Total Number of Americans benefiting from President Bush’s Tax Cut
91,000,000 Number of Individuals Owning Shares of Stock in America
23,000,000 Number of Small Businesses Benefiting from Income Tax Reductions
6,600,000 Number of Jobs Created Since the Tax Cut Was Signed Into Law
12,000 The Magic Number of the Dow Jones Industrial Index is an Arms Length Away
$2,092 Tax Increase for a Family of Four With $50k of Income if Tax Cuts Are Repealed
200 Number of House Members Who Voted Against This Growth Generating Tax Cut
50 Number of US Senators Who Voted Against This Growth Generating Tax Cut
25 Number of Years Dividend Paying Companies Declined Prior to the 2003 Tax Cut
164.0% % Increase in the Dividend Tax Rate if the Income and Dividend Tax Cuts Expire
123.0% % Increase in Dividend Income and Share Repurchases Since 2003 Tax Cut
91.0% % Increase of Stock Ownership in the Bottom Quintile of Income Distribution Since 1995
74.0% % Increase in S&P 500 Companies Boosting Their Dividend Since 2002
65.0% % of Voters Who Were Investors in the 2004 Elections
51.2% % of Total Tax Cut “Cost” That Has Been Recouped From Higher Levels of Growth
14.0% % Margin of Victory for Republicans From Investor Voters in 2002 Elections
4.6% Unemployment Rate Which Continues To Disprove the Constant Economic Pessimism
3.7% % Average Quarterly GDP Growth Since Tax Cut Was Enacted (long run average is 3.3%)

Heh. The economy looks a lot better than I’d have expected, given the MSM doom and gloom. You can get the code for this to add it to your website here.

Comments

  1. Yeah, riot police are on standby today as citizens all across the United States are expected to take to the streets to celebrate the highest Dow Jones Industrial average ever. http://blog.youngpeoplefor.org/story/2006/10/18/161056/85

  2. Laura says:

    I’d have commented on your site, because one driveby deserves another, but I don’t want to register. But I think in the midst of all that “haves and have nots” rhetoric that you might give a nod to the fact that poverty just ain’t what it used to be. I’m in a position to know, having been widowed, pregnant, poor and on welfare. I lived without a telephone or electricity for nearly a year, frequently went hungry, and had to get prenatal care at Charity Hospital until I was approved to go on welfare/Medicaid.

    Here’s what poverty looks like for the majority of those have nots:
    * 46% of poor households own their own homes.
    * 76% of poor households have air conditioning. Thirty years ago, only 36% of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.
    * Nearly 75% of poor households own a car; 30% own two or more cars.
    * 97% of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.
    * 78% have a VCR or DVD player; 62% have cable or satellite TV.
    * 73% percent own microwaves, more than half have a stereo, and a third have a dishwasher.

    And here’s a quote worth reading –

    The living conditions of persons defined as poor by the government bear little resemblance to notions of “poverty” held by the general public. Real material hardship does occur, but it is limited in scope and severity.

    But the living conditions of the average poor person should not be taken to mean that all poor Americans live without hardship. Roughly a third of poor households do face material hardships such as overcrowding, intermittent food shortages, or difficulty obtaining medical care.

    In short, I know what poverty is, having lived it. Poverty does exist, but some people are playing a numbers game with the figures and definitions. I’ll be charitable and assume you’ve been had.

  3. I’m a fan of the bush tax cuts, but may I ask what the bush tax cuts have to do with pursuing holiness?

  4. Laura says:

    Nothing at all. This is my personal blog, and I freqently write about my faith and how I’m growing as a Christian, hence the “pursuing holiness” part. Faith is – or should be, and usually is – the most important part of my life. But I also write about technology, business, politics, and anything else that seems interesting at the time.

    When I started the blog three years ago, I spent hours writing specifics about my bible studies; it amounted to publishing bible studies most of the time. In retrospect, I wish I’d stuck to just writing about what God is doing in my life at any given time. I’m not called to preach or teach, and I stopped skirting around doing that. But I am still pursuing holiness. :-)

  5. Laura says:

    I checked out your blog and really enjoyed what I’ve seen so far, especially this post about apologetics. I’ve added you to my Christian Favorites feed.

  6. I like your blog, Laura. It was the “pursuing holiness” that got my attention.

    I have a lot of strong political opinions and I’m always so tempted to write about them on my blog. Bill Clinton and George Bush have affected this country a great deal … but no one has made a difference in my life like Jesus Christ.

    So I’m always wondering to what extent I should include my political views. I think I can at least mention that I am pro-life, but here again the “pro-life movement” is not the good news Christ came to spread (as pro-life as he may have been!).

    Anyway … I like the way you put it. Thanks for including my blog on your site.

    God bless you for your work and for the work He is doing in you!

Trackbacks

  1. [...] Yes, our economy is actually doing well (despite what the MSM might be saying). Visit Pursuing Holiness’ post “Great Economy – Go Figure” for some great stats. The Dow Jones is at nearly 12000 (it actually hit it today before dropping below by the end of the day). One of the stats that I think is pretty awesome: “$207,788,000,000: The reduction in the Deficit in the Past 29 Months Due to Stronger Economic Growth.” Check out Laura’s post (where she also notes some interesting stats on poor households in the comments) or the source. [...]