Three Longest Economic Expansions Since World War II Took Place Under Democratic Presidents

When one realizes that all economic recessions since 1953, except one brief one in 1980 under Jimmy Carter, occurred under Republican Presidents, it makes it an important issue for the upcoming Presidential Election of 2020.

It turns out that the three longest economic expansions since World War II took place under Democratic Presidents as follows:

128 months–from June 2009 to February 2020—occurring under Barack Obama, and President Donald Trump benefiting from it for three years as a carryover.

120 months–from March 1991 to March 2001–ironically not helping Republican President George H. W. Bush, and with Bill Clinton presiding over every month of his Presidency seeing economic expansion.

106 months–February 1961 to December 1969–under John F. Kennedy after first month all the way through Lyndon B . Johnson, and carrying over for 11 months for Republican President Richard Nixon.

So four of the last five Democratic Presidents had superb records of economic expansion, with Bill Clinton and Lyndon B. Johnson having such conditions throughout their Presidencies, and John F. Kennedy all but the first month, and Barack Obama all but five months.

But even under Jimmy Carter, expansion went on from his inauguration in January 1977 until January 1980, as part of economic growth that began under Republican President Gerald Ford in March 1975. Had the economy not gone downhill in 1980, it is likely that Carter might have defeated Ronald Reagan!

Quite a record for Democrats to brag about on the campaign trail!

7 comments on “Three Longest Economic Expansions Since World War II Took Place Under Democratic Presidents

  1. D June 15, 2020 1:50 am

    ‘Iowa Poll: Theresa Greenfield leads Joni Ernst in tight race for U.S. Senate’

    By Brianne Pfannenstiel, “Des Moines Register,” June 13, 2020
    https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2020/06/13/iowa-poll-theresa-greenfield-leads-joni-ernst-tight-senate-race/5346215002/

    Fresh off a four-way primary race that drew millions in outside spending, Democrat Theresa Greenfield leads Republican Sen. Joni Ernst by 3 percentage points in Iowa’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race, a new “Des Moines Register”/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows.

    According to the poll, 46% of likely voters say they would back Greenfield if the election were held today, and 43% say they would back Ernst.

    “This is definitely a competitive race,” said J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co., which conducted the poll. She said the poll contains other “warning signs” for Ernst and noted that this is the first Iowa Poll conducted since Ernst first ran in 2014 in which she has trailed her general election opponent.

    “Symbolically, that’s certainly meaningful, even if Theresa Greenfield’s lead is not commanding,” Selzer said.

    The poll, which was conducted June 7-10, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points for questions asked of the 674 likely voters in the 2020 general election and plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for those asked of 801 Iowans.

    * * * * *

    ‘Iowa Poll: Democrats preferred in three congressional districts, two by double digits’

    By Nick Coltrain, “Des Moines Register,” June 14, 2020
    https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2020/06/14/iowa-poll-likely-voters-prefer-democrats-3-4-u-s-house-districts/3175725001/

    Likely voters in November want a Democrat as their U.S. House representative over a Republican in three of the state’s congressional districts, while Republicans appear to have solidified their hold on the 4th District, according to the June Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll.

    Statewide, likely voters prefer a Democrat over a Republican 47% to 42% — a reversal from March, when an Iowa Poll showed 49% support for Republicans and 42% for Democrats. Nearly all respondents who made a party choice are firm with their decisions, the new poll shows. Only 2% of either side identify as only “leaning” toward one party or the other.

    The poll sampled 801 Iowans, including 674 likely voters. The margin of error for likely voters statewide is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The margin of error for the individual congressional districts increases to no more than plus or minus 7.7 percentage points. The poll was conducted by Selzer & Co. June 7-10.

    The full breakdown:

    • 1st Congressional District: 48% Democrat, 42% Republican
    • 2nd Congressional District: 53% Democrat, 35% Republican
    • 3rd Congressional District: 52% Democrat, 36% Republican
    • 4th Congressional District: 35% Democrat, 57% Republican

    * * * * *

    FROM 2018-TO-2020:
    • 2018 Midterm Elections Results: Democratic pickup of U.S. House with a margin of +8.56. Iowa was D+3.98, a 2016-to-2018 Democratic shift of +13.16 from the state’s R+9.18 result in 2016. Two pickups: Iowa #01 and Iowa #02. A delegation change from Rs’ 3 and Ds’ 1 to Rs 1 and Ds 3. Margins: Iowa #01, D+4.05; Iowa #02, D+12.19; Iowa #03, D+2.16; and Iowa #04, R+3.33. That “full breakdown” indicates increased 2018-to-2020 Democratic support in their three party-held districts which include the two 2018 pickups. And Iowa #04 is indicating increased Republican support, probably because incumbent Steve King, who was politically and electorally in trouble for quite some time, was defeated in the primaries.

    SUMMARY:
    • A 2020 Democratic pickup for U.S. President that also sees a Democratic pickup of the state of Iowa, for presumptive nominee Joe Biden, would come from winning the U.S. Popular Vote by at least +6 percentage points. (At this point, I think the margin will be no less than +7. Winning by +6 is, say, 52 to 46 percent.)
    • Since 1996, every presidential year in which Iowa had a scheduled U.S. Senate election saw the same party carry the state of Iowa for both U.S. President and U.S. Senate. (The applicable election cycles were: 1996—Democratic; 2004—Republican; 2008—Democratic; 2016—Republican; 2020—Pending.)
    • Since 2000, the party which won the U.S. Popular Vote, for U.S. House, also won at the level of U.S. President. (Average margins spread was 2.06 percentage points.) Since 2004, Iowa—which was carried by each of the presidential election winners of 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016—aligned its popular-vote results for both U.S. President and U.S. House.
    • Since 2008, the popular vote in Iowa, for U.S. President and for their U.S. House seats, were margin spreads of 5.41, 2.81, and 0.23 points. (Election 2020 is pending.) The state’s congressional districts have been trending toward its statewide margin in presidential elections. So, this report of a 2020 Democratic preference of +3, specifically in the state of Iowa, may be a positive sign for this political party come November.

  2. Princess Leia June 15, 2020 4:27 pm

    Breaking news is that Trump’s health is under scrutiny. His hand was shaking during his speech at West Point and he was walking slowly down the ramp of the stage.

  3. Pragmatic Progressive June 15, 2020 7:50 pm

    He was having trouble with his speech as well.

  4. Former Republican June 15, 2020 7:51 pm

    Hmmm. Sounds like Parkinson’s or something.

  5. Rational Lefty June 16, 2020 12:32 pm

    He’s giving a speech about police reform right now. Very much struggling. If he hasn’t had a stroke or some kind of medical issue, then maybe his hydroxychloroquine or whatever drugs he’s taking is having an effect on him.

  6. Rustbelt Democrat June 16, 2020 12:39 pm

    Maybe he has the virus.

  7. Former Republican June 17, 2020 8:04 am

    The Lincoln Project has an ad out about Trump’s recent health issues.

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