Bush vs. Obama: How do they compare in the economic crisis?

Published: Wednesday, Sept. 26 2012 12:58 p.m. MDT

FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2008 file photo, President George W. Bush walks with President-elect Barack Obama down the Colonnade of the White House in Washington. President Barack Obama frequently blames President George W. Bush for America's shaky economy, high unemployment and foreign policy woes. But he's sure to change his tune on Thursday when Bush comes back to the White House in a rare limelight moment — the man who led the country for eight tumultuous years will have his portrait hung and Obama will be there applauding. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Gerald Herbert, AP

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Summary

How has the nation faired since the recession hit in 2009? This infographic may explain.

Jobs were lost, house prices fell and the stock market plummeted when the economic crisis hit.

But how has the nation faired since the recession hit in 2009? A recent infographic from VizCandy, a visual analytics blog, compares the George W. Bush years versus the time since President Obama was elected.

Private jobs in the country began post-recession recovery in January 2010 and are now equal to those of March 2005, according to the graphic.

The S&P 500 hit 56.5 in February 2009 and has risen to 100.9 in 2012.

“Corporations appear to have rebounded with the S&P 500 currently twice the level it was at when Bush left office,” Kelly Martin, the graphic’s creator, said in her post. “So, where are the jobs?”

Mortgages defaults have also fallen since Obama took office, but are still above levels when they began climbing in the summer of 2006.

EMAIL: jferguson@desnews.com

TWITTER: @joeyferguson

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worf

Mcallen, TX

Remember when:

* NAFTA was going to grow our economy
* Head Start was going to lower poverty
* Obama was going to cut the deficit in half
* Standardized testing in school, will improve education
* state lotteries More..

9:22 p.m. Sept. 26, 2012
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Hutterite

American Fork, UT

The bush years ended in economic freefall. Actually, the economy is cyclical and responds to so many external factors that I don't believe any president, including the ones I disparage in these columns, has much impact on it. Further, I suspect More..

1:30 p.m. Sept. 26, 2012
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Pa. Reader

Harrisburg, PA

The recession began in 2007 not 2009.
Is there a sinister motive in misrepresenting the date or is it simply bad reportage?

3:17 p.m. Sept. 26, 2012
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