Table of Contents
Figures and Tables vii
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
Abbreviations xxix
Timeline of Events xxxi
Part I General Economy: The President's Influence on the Private Sector
1 GDP and Productivity: Presidential Influence on Economic Production 3
2 Inflation and Interest Rates: Incentives and Disincentives for Economic Production 43
3 Savings and Investment: Groundwork for Growth 55
4 Growth of the Stock Market: The Value of Private Companies 65
5 Employment and the Poverty Line: The "Other" Bottom Lines of Economic Policy 77
6 U.S. Exports and International Trade Balance: America's Global Competitiveness 91
Part II Fiscal Economy: The President's Influence on the Public Sector
7 Federal Budget Growth and Share of the Economy: Maintaining a Public/Private Balance 105
8 Federal Budget Deficits and the National Debt: A President's Fiscal Responsibility 119
9 Federal Taxation: Raising Revenue Effectively for the Public 133
Part III Combining Public and Private Indicators: Overall Presidential Performance Rankings
10 Economic Performance Rankings from Harry Truman to Barack Obama 153
Annex 1 Methodology 183
Annex 2 The Great Depression and World War II: Background to the Modern Economy 187
Annex 3 Statistics 193
Selected Bibliography 211
Index 215