This Letter to the Editor is solely the opinion of its author. It does not reflect the opinion of this newspaper. We intend to present messages from both sides of the aisle.
By Mike OConnell
Gardner leaves Coloradoans worse off…
Since Cory Garner votes with Trump 92% of the time, let’s review where we are now, versus where we were four years ago:
Unemployment Rate – 4.7% in Jan 2017 when Obama departed. 7.9% in Sept 2020. Source – dept. of labor.
Gross Domestic Product – From 2009 through 2016, the US economy grew at 3.4% per year. From 2017 through the 2nd quarter of 2020, it’s grown at 0.7% per year. Source – federal reserve. Trade Deficit -$516B at end of 2016, -$617B at the end of 2019. Source – bureau of econ analysis.
Annual Federal Deficit -$586B in 2016. $984B in 2019, and estimated – $4200B in 2020. Source – dept of treasury. National Debt – $19.6T at end 2016. $22.9T at the end of 2019, and est. $27.1T at the end of 2020. Source – dept of treasury, statistics.
Stock Market, S&P 500 Index – From Jan 2009 through Jan 2017, the market grew 13.1% per year. From Jan 2017 through Sept 2020, the market grew 11.0%.
In summary, for every major economic metric measuring the business of America, for Americans, you are worse off now, than four years ago.