Are you worse off now than you were 4 years ago?

[Thudpucker]

I was watching Meet the Press and they brought up this classic question.

The weird thing is, I'm not. As a Country I think we are but as an individual? I'm much better off now that I was in every way I can think of. Much better. That's kind of interesting I think.

How about you guys?

[Thudpucker]

oops, fucked the poll up and I can't edit it.

yes = worse off

no = better off

[FredC]

Eh. For the most part, yeah.

EDIT: I voted the wrong one! Nyraaaagh!

[artimoff]

No. I live in a better place (& cheaper) I have a better car & better pay.

[jason hissong]

I was watching Meet the Press and they brought up this classic question.

The weird thing is, I'm not. As a Country I think we are but as an individual? I'm much better off now that I was in every way I can think of. Much better. That's kind of interesting I think.

How about you guys?

Yes. I agree with this.

Four years ago I graduated college. And while Post-Graduation Year One was the worst year of my life, the last three have been incredible.

I'm healthier, more financially sound, and surrounded by people I love, and who love me, now. I feel my life building towards something amazing, and even the journey getting there is amazing, and that makes me really really happy.

[Thudpucker]

Eh. For the most part, yeah.

EDIT: I voted the wrong one! Nyraaaagh!

Are you sure? I voted no and I'm the only one who has so far.

[silverboy]

Yes. Four years ago I was working almost full time, making about $8 an hour (which is okay for the area) and had no expenses.

Now I work 10 hours a week for minimum wage (thank god that increased) and have a lot of expenses. I'm on government food support, have student loans and my parents help me out money-wise. There are no jobs in this area--looking for summer employment is horrible.

[Ashwin Pande]

MUCH better off.

Much, MUCH better off.

Four years ago I was in college, sleeping in my underwear, skipping class and playing video games all day long.

Today I have a kickass job (starts tomorrow), sleep in my underwear, skip work and play video games all day long. Except now I get PAID!!!!!

[eroz]

much better off.

[Dark Sasha]

I'm in university now, which is ten times better than high school. So yes.

[Thudpucker]

Yes. Four years ago I was working almost full time, making about $8 an hour (which is okay for the area) and had no expenses.

Now I work 10 hours a week for minimum wage (thank god that increased) and have a lot of expenses. I'm on government food support, have student loans and my parents help me out money-wise. There are no jobs in this area--looking for summer employment is horrible.

Michigan has it the worst out of the whole Country from what I read in the news. :sad:

Michigan is my home and I've been trying to plan a move back there for a few years now but I'm scared to. I'm really afraid to leave a local ecomomy as strong as Austin to try and survive in one like mid-Michigan has right now.

[Girlfriend In A Coma]

I'm not even the same person I was 4 years ago. I am so much better. Could always be happier but not that much. Life is kickass.

[cmoney]

I get paid a little more, I guess, but other than that, not much has really changed.

[ClintP]

Much better off.

[MAK15]

being 20 and knowing where I'm going was better than being 16 and only having an idea on where I wanna go.

[Brewtown Andy]

Eh. For the most part, yeah.

EDIT: I voted the wrong one! Nyraaaagh!So did I. :( I answered the question in the poll and saw better first and answered yes, so it looks like our votes cancelled each other out.

[jess]

i was about to graduate high school four years ago... i am MUCH better off now, i think. i'm at least a whole lot more healthy.

[mike black]

Despite spending the last 6 months in and out of unemployment - yes.

Just landing a job, all of my monetary problems will disappear in 3 or 4 months. I am in a stable and very loving relationship.

Mental issues aside, I'm doing great.

[silverboy]

Michigan has it the worst out of the whole Country from what I read in the news. :sad:

Michigan is my home and I've been trying to plan a move back there for a few years now but I'm scared to. I'm really afraid to leave a local ecomomy as strong as Austin to try and survive in one like mid-Michigan has right now.

Yeah, there are no jobs here. All of us upcoming Michigan college grads are being told we must leave to find employment.

[costello]

Much better off, but I busted my ass to get here.

[simon trent]

nope, married, going to be buying a house, can still afford comics, baseball is starting in a couple weeks, life is good.

[AndrewG]

Well, I'm unemployed right now but that wasn't due to the economy. I was getting a little fed up with the job I was at and would have quit in the next couple months regardless.

My family has less debt with credit cards and the like and we bought a house with a great fixed interest rate.

I would say my family is better off.

[I AM GROOT!]

I really didn't know how to vote on this. Worse off? Maybe. I wasn't back in school four years ago, so I was making a lot more money than I'm able to now (due to the amount of hours I can devote to a job). However, it's not due to anything related to the economy. It was my own choice.

However, I don't have any debt and can still afford to buy extras, so I'm not hurting either.

[Lyfeforce]

yup. better off. That's more thanks to me than to the guv'mint though.

[RebootedCorpse]

The better question for people who voted for W, "Are you less stupid than you were 4 years ago?"

[LordKinbote]

Hard to say, as I was in college four years ago. Was life easier then? Yes. But I find it difficult to compare life before graduation and life after. I'm my own man now, but with great power comes great responsibility, as they say.

[DaGetHighKnight]

No, My aim is only to go forward..

[AndrewG]

The better question for people who voted for W, "Are you less stupid than you were 4 years ago?"

Hmmm. Well if he were allowed a 3rd term I wouldn't vote for him, so I guess the answer is 'yes'. :lol:

Honestly, I'm registered Republican, but I vote with my heart/gut/head as much as I can. My first election was Bush I vs Clinton and I picked Bush. Then I voted for Clinton in his second term and Gore during Gore/Bush 2. After 9-11 I figured it was important to have stability and I didn't think things were that bad off in 04 so I voted for Bush that time. Plus I couldn't stand John Kerry.

[costello]

nope, married, going to be buying a house, can still afford comics, baseball is starting in a couple weeks, life is good.

I'm in the same spot. Sadly, none of my old friends are. They either still live with their parents or bum off of them. It's either a lack of responsibility, lack of commitment, or a fear of growing up (and we're all around 30). I had to cut myself free from my best friend because he refused to apply himself and get a good job, which he can easily do with his Master's Degree and experience. He has no ambition to make above minimum wage (in NYC), constantly asks to borrow money, yet when he gets $2000 back in taxe it's blown in two days, and not on bills. Yet he bitches about health care, living in poverty, etc. I just want to punch him in his fucking mouth. Other friends have made dumb decisions, but at least their trying. I swear he just loves to bitch and mooch.

[Jet]

I am better off but that's because I just finished Grad school and got a job right away with my new degree.

People like me, in their 20's or 30's, who are doing things like graduating college and grad school and such I am sure you are going to get more that say they are better off since pretty much any employment is better than being a college student.

However, if you were to pose this question to people in their 40s or 50's you may very well get very different responses.

[Thudpucker]

It might just be that the effects of what is happening out there now havn't hit most of us yet. The big price hikes and layoff's that will effect us individually may still be coming.

It's hard to be too worried though when things are going so well.

[wh park]

I still have the same job as I did 4 years ago and it hasn't changed much and it's not a source of happiness or stress for me, it's just what I do for money.

Healthwise I'm aware of certain health issues that I've probably have had for a while now but am actually doing something about because I know about them so I'm better off in that regard.

I have a lovely lady who I'm involved and that wasn't the case 4 years ago.

I do have plans to make my life better in the coming year or so and feel that I'm actually going to commit to going down that path instead of staying where I am.

So yeah I'm better off then I was 4 years ago.

[Ryan F]

I'd say the age demographics of this board are going to skew this quite a bit.

[Humphrey_Lee]

Financially? Just a smidge better.
Mentally? Just a smidge better again. I've got better control over things now. Less depression, more focus.

[Jef UK]

Better off.

[The Stig]

I was a student four years ago. Short of being unemployed, it's pretty hard for me to not be better off now.

[Black Roman]

FUCK YES. Need I say WHY?

[copypastepuke]

i dont think that question accurately portrays whether or not a government or president is good or not, and i would say i am fine, for better or worse

[Humphrey_Lee]

FUCK YES. Need I say WHY?

Because now we have each other? :Oops:

[Black Roman]

Just to clarify I'm saying I am far worse off then I was 4 yrs ago. If there was any confusion.

[Kingsumo]

If you factor in the total of the last four years, then I am much better off. It has taken quite a bit, but I now have a decent to good paying job. No roomates, and a car that works.

Do I feel the government has anything to do with that? No, not really.