Macro Economic Indicators, Recent Democratic and Republican Presidential Administrations
                                                 
                                                 
President William J. Clinton, years 1993-2000                                              
                                                 
President George W. Bush, years 2001-2008 (partial for 2008)                                              
                                                 
Below are common economic indicators that may be of some use in comparing the years the country was led by a democratic or republican administration. The better outcomes are signified by  *, e.g., lower unemployment. Annual averages and the percentage change of that variable over the period are presented for each president. The actual data and references are presented below following the averages. We have tried to use widely respected sources. If you know of other sources or indicators that may be useful please contact us. We are planning on adding other indicators as time permits, such as education expenditures as a percent of GDP, GDP growth, productivity, etc. Please contact us for other suggestions.                                        
                                                 
(Percentage changes below are calculated as the change over the whole period for a president (e.g., 1993-2000) divided by the figure for the first year. Note that for later years not all of the years were available yet.)                                        
                                                                                                                                                         
    Clinton Years Bush Years                                      
1993-2000 2001-2008                                      
                                                 
Reference   Average % Change % Change Average                                      
1 Unemployment  *5.20 *-42.58 12.3 5.21                                      
2 Inflation *2.60 *14.19 36.75 2.84                                      
3 Misery Index (1 And 2=3) *7.80 *-25.55 21.44 8.05                                      
4 Poverty Rate 13.29 *-25.17 6.84 *12.36                                      
5 Family Income Per Quintile (upper limit of each fifth, 2007 dollars)                                              
  Lowest quintile, bottom 20%  $20,330 *41.43 16.1  *$25,338                                      
  Second quintile  $35,328 *36.13 20.38  *$44,222                                      
  Third quintile  $52,792 *36.19 20  *$67,260                                      
  Fourth quintile  $78,434 *36.80 19.64  *$101,672                                      
  Lower limit of top 5%  $135,288 *41.47 20.18  *$177,846                                      
6 Percent Without Healthcare 15.2 *-10.46 8.23 *15.06                                      
7 National Debt (In $ Trillion) *5.15 *27.27 67.24 7.64                                      
8 Business Startups 582723 1.7 *10.08 *608045                                      
9 Federal Budget Deficit (Deficit = Tax Rev. - Gov. Exp) *-40 *208.05 -226.56 -221.29                                      
10 Real Gross Domestic Product Growth *3.71 37.08 *166.67 2.35                                      
11 Real Oil Prices 2007$ per barrel *24.42 *37.08 253.37 51.56                                      
                                                 
                                                 
    WILLIAM J. CLINTON         GEORGE W. BUSH      
Reference   1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Average % Change % Change Average 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008      
1 Unemployment  6.91 6.1 5.59 5.41 4.94 4.5 4.22 3.97 5.2 - 12.3 5.21 4.74 5.78 5.99 5.54 5.07 4.61 4.64 5.33      
42.58
 
2 Inflation 2.96 2.61 2.81 2.93 2.34 1.55 2.19 3.38 2.6 14.19 36.75 2.84 2.83 1.59 2.27 2.68 3.39 3.24 2.85 3.87      
3 Misery Index (1 And 2=3) 9.87 8.71 8.4 8.34 7.28 6.05 6.41 7.35 7.8 -25.55 21.44 8.05 7.57 7.37 8.26 8.22 8.46 7.85 7.49 9.2      
4 Poverty Rate 15.1 14.5 13.8 13.7 13.3 12.7 11.9 11.3 13.29 -25.17 6.84 12.36 11.7 12.1 12.5 12.7 12.6 12.4 12.5        
5 Family Income Per Quintile                                              
(Upper limit of each fifth, 2007 dollars)
a Lowest quintile $16,970 $17,940 $19,070 $19,680 $20,586 $21,600 $22,796 $24,000 $20,330 41.43 16.1 $25,338 $24,000 $24,000 $24,117 $24,772 $25,616 $27,000 $27,864        
b Second quintile $30,000 $31,300 $32,985 $34,315 $36,000 $37,692 $39,492 $40,840 $35,328 36.13 20.38 $44,222 $41,127 $41,440 $42,057 $43,400 $45,021 $47,000 $49,510        
c Third quintile $45,030 $47,000 $48,985 $51,086 $53,616 $56,020 $59,270 $61,325 $52,792 36.19 20 $67,260 $62,500 $63,000 $65,000 $65,818 $68,304 $71,200 $75,000        
d Fourth quintile $66,794 $69,998 $72,260 $75,316 $80,000 $83,693 $88,033 $91,374 $78,434 36.8 19.64 $101,672 $94,150 $94,469 $98,200 $100,000 $103,100 $109,150 $112,638        
e Lower limit of top 5% $113,182 $120,043 $123,656 $128,000 $137,080 $145,199 $155,020 $160,120 $135,288 41.47 20.18 $177,846 $164,104 $164,323 $170,082 $173,640 $184,500 $191,060 $197,216        
6 Percent Without Healthcare 15.3 15.2 15.4 15.6 16.1 16.3 14 13.7 15.2 -10.46 8.23 15.06 14.1 14.7 15.1 14.9 15.3 15.8 15.3 15.26      
7 National Debt (In $ Trillion) 4.4 4.6 4.9 5.2 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.15 27.27 67.24 7.64 5.8 6.2 6.7 7.3 7.9 8.5 9 9.7      
8 Business Startups 564,504 570,587 594,369 597,792 590,644 589,982 579,609 574,300 582,723 1.74 10.08 608,045 585,140 569,750 612,296 628,917 644,122            
9 Federal Budget Deficit (Deficit = Tax Rev. - Gov. Exp) -255 -203 -164 -107 -22 69 126 236 -40 208.05 -226.56 -221.29 128 -158 -378 -413 -318 -248 -162        
10 Real Gross Domestic Product Growth 2.67 4.02 2.5 3.7 4.5 4.18 4.45 3.66 3.71 37.08 166.67 2.35 0.75 1.6 2.51 3.64 3.06 2.88 2        
11 Real Oil Prices 2007$ per barrel 24.92 22.69 23.62 28.01 24.95 15.7 21.3 34.16 24.41875 37.08 253.37 51.56 27.92 27.22 32.34 42.8 54.99 62.11 66.4 98.66      
                                                 
References:                                                
1 http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/data/UNRATE.txt                                    
2 http://www.bls.gov/cpi/                                    
3                                                
4 ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Publications/Health_US/hus07figures/07contents_figures.pdf                                  
a http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf                                    
5

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/f01AR.html

A family consists of two or more people (one of whom is the householder).

                                    
6 http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/historic/index.html                                    
a http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf                                    
7 http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo4.htm                                    
8 http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/dyn_b_d8905.pdf                                              
9 http://www.cbo.gov/budget/historical.shtml                                              
10 www.ers.usda.gov/Data/macroeconomics/Data/HistoricalRealGDPValues.xls                                              
11 http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Inflation_Rate/Historical_Oil_Prices_Table.asp                                          
                                                 
Authored by Mark Klinedinst and Karen Kurenty at the University of Southern Mississippi.