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PRESS RELEASE FROM AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM
 Contact: John Kartch ( jkartch@atr.org or 202-785-0266)

[View Printable Adobe Acrobat File]

HELL IN A HANDBASKET: LIFE UNDER A DEMOCRAT CONGRESS
Democrats running for office this year complain a lot about America and the cost of living.  What might surprise you is that most of the backsliding in the American way of life has happened while Democrats control the U.S. Congress.  Below are a few key examples:
                           

 

Election Day 1994
(11/8/94)

Democrat Senate 2001
(5/24/01)

Election Day 2002
(11/5/02)

Election Day 2006
(11/7/06)

Latest Figure
(10/24/08)

Gallon of Gas

$1.12

$1.70

$1.42

$2.23

$2.91

Loaf of Bread

$0.77

$1.00

$1.05

$1.14

$1.38

Gallon of Milk

$2.88

$2.89

$2.72

$2.99

$3.77

Dozen Eggs

$0.86

$0.88

$1.08

$1.35

$1.98

Cong. Approval

23%

51%

47%

26%

18%

Dow Jones Average

3,830.74

11,122.42

8,678.27

12,156.77

8,691.25

Stock Market Wealth

 

$5.716 tril

 

$13.173 tril

 

$10.075 tril

 

$17.002 tril

 

$17.294 tril

Net Worth

$25.039 tril

$40.797 tril

$39.212 tril

$55.943

$55.993 tril

Real Per Capita GDP

$30,284

$34,805

$34,945

$37,880

$38,447

Inflation Rate

2.67%

3.62%

2.20%

1.97%

4.94%

Unemployment Rate

5.6%

4.3%

5.9%

4.5%

6.1%

Real GDP Growth

4.8%

1.2%

0.2%

1.5%

2.8%

Average Wage

$22,940

$28,940

$30,340

$33,980

$36,400

Dollar vs. Euro

n/a

1.17

1.00

0.79

0.78
  1. Department of Energy
  2. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
  3. Ibid.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Gallup
  6. Yahoo Finance
  7. Federal Reserve Flow of Funds
  8. Ibid.
  9. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
  10. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
  11. Ibid.
  12. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
  13. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
  14. Yahoo Finance

###
Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose any and all federal and state tax increases.  For more information, or to arrange an interview with Mr. Norquist please contact John Kartch at (202)785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org.