Chef Jim Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Lucky for 8 years - fair enough I guess. Does that make Bush extremely unlucky? As the saying goes, you make your own luck. So how did Bill make his? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Frenkle Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 So how did Bill make his? I don't know - I was barely paying attention back then. I know that Clinton had the .com bubble to help his cause, but Bush also had the housing bubble for a time, whatever that's worth. Just looking the numbers, Clinton looks like a fiscal conservative, while Bush looks like the biggest free-spending liberal in recent history. The amount our country owed then vs. now is staggering, not to mention the fact that our national debt was actually decreasing every year under Bubba. I guess Clinton didn't start two wars either, so that probably helped the bottom line. Bush is certainly more of a social conservative, but I really couldn't care less about that. Anyway, the discrepancy in our national debt, year to year, is too great to be explained by luck. In all seriousness, what do you think? I know you know a lot more about these financial issues than I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 I don't know - I was barely paying attention back then. I know that Clinton had the .com bubble to help his cause, but Bush also had the housing bubble for a time, whatever that's worth. Just looking the numbers, Clinton looks like a fiscal conservative, while Bush looks like the biggest free-spending liberal in recent history. The amount our country owed then vs. now is staggering, not to mention the fact that our national debt was actually decreasing every year under Bubba. I guess Clinton didn't start two wars either, so that probably helped the bottom line. Bush is certainly more of a social conservative, but I really couldn't care less about that. Anyway, the discrepancy in our national debt, year to year, is too great to be explained by luck. In all seriousness, what do you think? I know you know a lot more about these financial issues than I do. But I think Bush actually did something to help pull us out of the bear of 2000-2002. Cut cap gains, income and dividend taxes. And I think the dividend cut with the most significant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Frenkle Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 But I think Bush actually did something to help pull us out of the bear of 2000-2002. Cut cap gains, income and dividend taxes. And I think the dividend cut with the most significant. I'll have take your word on that. Red flags are raised for me when someone like yourself talks about the beauty of dividend cuts, no offense intended. I just imagine that how you make your living might bias your opinion there, but again, I really don't know. It still seems to me that he spent money like a drunken sailor for the better part of the past 8 years. I really don't think that point gets made enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 I'll have take your word on that. Red flags are raised for me when someone like yourself talks about the beauty of dividend cuts, no offense intended. I just imagine that how you make your living might bias your opinion there, but again, I really don't know. It still seems to me that he spent money like a drunken sailor for the better part of the past 8 years. I really don't think that point gets made enough. If I wasn't for finding ways to reduce my client's taxes they would seriously consider firing me so yeah my opinion is biased. I think one of the best things for the stock market right now would be to reduce the taxes on dividends to 10% or less. There are still a lot of good companies paying a good dividend and with stocks getting beat up right now dividend yields are looking real nice. This would make stock even more attractive than they are. Reducing taxes on some of these yields would give the market a huge boost.. There are still an awful lot of people that invest in stocks for income. Find me a bond with those kinds of yields, and bonds are still taxed as ordinary income. Just my 2/10 of a dollar. The market rose shortly after Bush reduced the divident tax rate from ordinary income to 15%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts