FirstRead analysis … RAW DATA:
Unemployment rate
Then: 7.8% (Jan 2009) – Now: 7.8% (Dec 2012)
Dow Jones Industrial Average
Then: 7,949.09 (Close Jan 20, 2009) – Now: 13,534.89 (close Jan 15, 2013)
Gross Domestic Product
Then: -5.3% (1st quarter 2009)) – Now: +3.1% (3rd quarter of 2012)
Consumer Confidence
Then: 37.4 (Jan. 2009) – Now: 65.1 (Dec 2012)
Americans who believe the country is headed in the right direction
Then: 26% of adults (Jan. 2009 NBC/WSJ poll) – Now: 41% of adults (Dec. 2012 NBC/WSJ poll)
Median household income (adjusted for inflation)
Then: $52,195 (Census data for 2009) – Now: $50,054 (Census data for 2011)
Americans without health insurance
Then: 49.0 million (Census data for 2009) – Now: 48.6 million (Census data for 2011)
Americans receiving food stamps
Then: 33.5 million (avg. 2009) – Now: 46.6 million (average 2012)
Federal budget deficit
Then: -$1.4 trillion (FY 2009) – Now: -$1.1 trillion (FY 2012 projected))
Federal public debt
Then: $10.6 trillion (Jan 20, 2009) – Now: $16.4 trillion (Jan 13, 2013)
Federal spending as a percentage of GDP
Then: 25.2% (FY 2009) – Now: 24.3% (FY 2012 projected)
Median sales price of new homes
Then: $208,600 (Jan 2009) -Now: $246,200 (Nov 2012)
Number of Democrats in U.S. House of Representatives
Then: 257 (2009) – Now: 201 (2013)
Number of Democratic governors
Then: 28 (2009) – Now: 19 (2013)
Number of U.S. troops in Iraq
Then: 139,500 (Jan. 2009) – Now: 200 (Jan. 2013)
Number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan
Then: 34,400 (Jan. 2009) – Now: 66,000 (Jan. 2013)
