Presimetrics What the Facts Tell Us About How the Presidents Measure Up On the Issues We Care About

by Kanell, Michael E.; Holmes, Nigel; Kimel, Mike

• ISBN13: 9781579128357
• ISBN10: 1579128351
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-08-18
• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal

Summary

'¢ The authors use statistical data from various federal agencies'”including the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Federal Reserve'”to reveal surprising facts, such as: which president increased the size of the Federal workforce by the greatest margin; which president cut funding for the NEA by the largest percentage; and which president spent the most on welfare and other social programs. (The answers, in order: Reagan, Clinton, and Nixon/Ford). '¢ Politicians, pundits, the media, and even economists spend an enormous amount of time telling Americans how the presidents are performing, but this analysis is almost always skewed along party lines. By contrast, this book objectively dissects such sacred cows as the Republican eschewal of 'œbig government' and the Democratic tendency to tax and spend, instead taking a hard look at the facts to rate the administrations. '¢ Organized by issue, the data is presented in lively text that clearly explains the various policies of each administration and how these policies may have affected that data. Also discussed are how the policies of one administration may (or may not) have affected the success (or failure) of the following administration, and what effect Congress had, if any. '¢ Colorful graphs and other information graphics lend even greater depth of understanding to the statistical data by showing at a glance how multiple administrations stack up against each other on all the issues that concern the public most.

Author Biography

Michael E. Kanell is an economics writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has appeared on television and radio, including CNBC, NPR, and various local stations across the country. He has a bachelor's degree in history from Princeton University and a law degree from Boston University, where he was also adjunct professor of the College of Communications. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Michael E. Kanell is an economics writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has appeared on television and radio, including CNBC, NPR, and various local stations across the country. He has a bachelor's degree in history from Princeton University and a law degree from Boston University, where he was also adjunct professor of the College of Communications. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Nigel Holmes is an award-winning information graphics specialist. His work has appeared in countless publications, including Time (where he worked as graphics director), Adweek, GQ, Details, Discover, Money, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, and more. He lives in Westport, Connecticut.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 8
Real GDP per Capita	p. 14
Fiscal Responsibility	p. 31
Debt: What Real GDP per Capita Leaves Out	p. 47
Employment	p. 56
Income and Wealth	p. 68
Republican Issues	p. 89
Interlude: On Taxes	p. 116
Democratic Issues	p. 131
Health Care	p. 152
Crime	p. 165
The Public Mood	p. 183
Family Values	p. 197
Investing in the Future	p. 213
Conclusion	p. 231
Is It Congress?	p. 239
Explaining Growth in Real GDP per Capita	p. 244
The Budget of the Executive Office of the President	p. 261
Try This at Home	p. 265
Obama	p. 269
Notes	p. 276
Acknowledgments	p. 293
Index	p. 297
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