are y'all better off than you were 4 years ago ?

[hemet dennis]

To me those number you quote seem ridiculous. I was partt owner and ran a propane distrinution company for a while and the conversion process for all of our trucks and automobiles was simple and cheap and took less then an hour. I am certain that it is nor more complicated or expensive to convert to NG. I think the parts were about $200.00. The real cost is the tank, however, when we converted our trucks we just put the tank in the bed.

Yea welcome to Calif.

http://www.greencar.com/articles/can-convert-natural-gas.php

The cost to convert to CNG can range from about $12,500 to $22,500 depending on the vehicle, engine, size of CNG tanks needed, and who does the converting. The greatest expense is for the CNG tanks, and the more capacity and number of tanks, the more expensive the conversion. While this may be daunting for many consumers, fleet users - like taxi companies and delivery services - can often justify the expense because of the fuel savings amortized over many miles. The FuelMaker 'Q' refueling appliance costs just under $10,000 plus installation and the Phill is priced at about $4500 plus installation.

 

[rufus]

I see in the news where Jeep will probably begin manufacturing in China again. Chinese companies knocked off their product previously, and Jeep couldn't compete. The Chinese copied it bolt for bolt, weld for weld.

This is bad news for auto workers in the US.

Chrysler moving the production to China is what happens when we lose ownership of a company. The company is now owned by Fiat, and the next question is who now owns Fiat?

 

[rufus]

And now I see Fiat is thinking of moving Jeep manufacturing to Italy. I guess local politicians in Italy put pressure on the company to support their nation. Fiat did not do well in the European market, but got by selling Chrysler products made and sold outside the US.

The original Willys Jeep is still being made on license in Indian and Pakistan.

 

[SillyChicken]

I would say most everyone is better off now than they were four years ago, despite a political campaign to try and convince us otherwise. Unemployment just dropped to 7.8%, we aren't losing 800,000 jobs every month(instead we are growing), Dow Jones is at a 5 year high, NASDAQ is at a 10-year high, Iraq has about come to an end, the auto industry is saved, housing market is finally turning around. I don't really get how people can say they aren't better off now. I think they are just falling victim to false rhetoric. Oil is a global commodity, it would be nice if we could directly control it and drop prices to a quarter/gallon but I won't hold my breath. I think the current state of government assistance was inevitable irregardless of who won in 2008... I mean geez, 800,000 jobs lost monthly? It shouldn't come as a surprise that more people would start looking for assistance.

Really? What planet are you on?
I've not gotten a raise in the last 5 years........ in the last 5 years, EVERYTHING else has risen in cost. I can't afford to drive to work by myself anymore, I have to carpool... I can't afford to get my hair or nails done, or shop, or go to the movies like we used to, because we have to make sure we have money to pay our property taxes, and other expenses which all have gone up. What we used to spend 150$ for 2 weeks fed us a lot of food,... now I spend 350$ for 2 weeks and it's just two of us. I buy no name brand stuff where before I got the name brand stuff....... my home value dropped, but taxes went up....our mortgage is in the red. My take home pay has shrunk because of increases in my health care costs......... it's gonna shrink even more when the taxes start hitting next year.

I don't know what kind of fantasy world you're living in...... but I am certainly not a victim of false rhetoric.......This is my life as I know it, as I'm living it right now.

 

[SillyChicken]

never mind........

 

[punk-a-doodle]

I've not gotten a raise in the last 5 years........ in the last 5 years, EVERYTHING else has risen in cost

The question was for the last 4 years, as it is purposefully a loaded question. Which is a shame, because I find it rather shuts down open discussion and instead sparks partisan bickering (again, by design).

 

[KristyHall]

The question was for the last 4 years, as it is purposefully a loaded question. Which is a shame, because I find it rather shuts down open discussion and instead sparks partisan bickering (again, by design).

I very much agree. This is a loaded question.

 

[Trefoil]

In regards to "who's going to be president". "Would you be better off with one as opposed to the other" is a better question to ask yourself. Improving the economy will only help the middle class if they are allowed a piece of the pie.

 

[7 Biddies]

The question was for the last 4 years, as it is purposefully a loaded question. Which is a shame, because I find it rather shuts down open discussion and instead sparks partisan bickering (again, by design).
very much agree. This is a loaded question.

I guess that depends on your particular political point of view.

In the last 4 years, not only haven't I gotten a raise, but I've suffered furlough days, meaning a cut in pay. Further to that cut, at the end of 2010, I had an additional 10 days cut out of my contract. This will impact my retirement pay when I hang up my boots in 4 years at the age of 70 (*IF* I can afford to retire then). Because of cuts in funding, pay for my after-school job got cut by 48.6%. It was no longer worth it, so I quit the second job. Insurance has gone up and, starting at the end of 2011, the school cut in half what they used to pay towards our health insurance. Both factors combined mean I pay 230% more in health insurance than I did in 2009, and the benefits are not as good as they were: my deductible is higher, and the limit on out of pocket expenses is also higher. As previously mentioned, food costs have increased each year (which is one reason I got chickens). I mean, $2.99 for a loaf of bread?? Gas was $1.87 four years ago and is now $3.50 +/- per gallon (depending on the particular day), and all of my utilities have increased in the past year or two (water is up 25%).

No partisanship here; just facts (I calculated all percentages using a computer program). Plus, asking if you're better off than you were 4 years ago is a very valid question. Even the government and various economic institutions track it that way. The question started being asked in 1980 with Reagan ... if not before. In fact, tracking economic performance BY PRESIDENT goes all the way back to FDR. But, saying that it's phrased that way is "purposefully a loaded question" is an indication of partisanship in itself. How else would you measure the success or failure of an *individual's* economic policies?

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Yes it has continuously been asked. It is a loaded question that is used by both major parties, and can be answered by both every four years in a partisan matter (which was my point).