# Economy, crime and health under George W. Bush, 2001–2009

Source page: https://govargus.com/presidents/bush-43

Republican · Jan 20, 2001 – Jan 20, 2009

Each indicator shows how it changed during the term next to the four years before it. A term's first year mostly reflects the previous administration's policies, and Congress, the Federal Reserve and the world economy move these numbers too. Govargus describes; it does not score presidents.

## Economy

| Indicator | During term | 4 years before |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% → 7.3% (+0.43 pts/yr) | −0.38 pts/yr |
| Nonfarm payroll jobs | 132.7 million jobs → 134.8 million jobs (+0.27 million jobs/yr) | +2.89 million jobs/yr |
| Real GDP growth | avg 2.0% | avg 4.4% |
| Inflation (CPI, year over year) | avg 2.8% | avg 2.3% |
| Labor force participation | 67.0% → 65.8% (−0.15 pts/yr) | 0.00 pts/yr |

## Households

| Indicator | During term | 4 years before |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Real median weekly earnings (1982–84 $) | $334 → $340 (+$1/yr) | +$5/yr |
| Gasoline price (regular, per gallon) | $1.49 → $1.69 (+$0.02/yr) | +$0.06/yr |
| Egg prices (grade A large, per dozen) | $0.96 → $1.83 (+$0.11/yr) | −$0.09/yr |
| 30-year mortgage rate | 7.38% → 5.29% (−0.26 pts/yr) | −0.05 pts/yr |
| Real median household income | $73,560 → $72,260 (−$163/yr) | +$1,395/yr |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% → 13.2% (+0.24 pts/yr) | −0.60 pts/yr |

## Federal budget

| Indicator | During term | 4 years before |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Federal surplus or deficit (% of GDP) | avg −2.4% | avg 1.5% |
| Federal debt (% of GDP) | 54.3% → 73.2% (+2.37 pts/yr) | −2.55 pts/yr |
| National debt (dollars) | $5.66 trillion → $10.70 trillion (+$0.63 trillion/yr) | +$0.08 trillion/yr |

## Public safety

| Indicator | During term | 4 years before |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Violent crime rate | 507 per 100k → 459 per 100k (−6 per 100k/yr) | −33 per 100k/yr |
| Property crime rate | 3,618 per 100k → 3,215 per 100k (−50 per 100k/yr) | −208 per 100k/yr |
| Murder rate | 5.5 per 100k → 5.4 per 100k (−0.02 per 100k/yr) | −0.47 per 100k/yr |
| Firearm death rate | 10.2 per 100k → 10.3 per 100k (+0.01 per 100k/yr) | — |

## Health

| Indicator | During term | 4 years before |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.6 years → 78.0 years (+0.18 years/yr) | +0.15 years/yr |
| Drug overdose death rate | 6.2 per 100k → 11.9 per 100k (+0.71 per 100k/yr) | — |
| Uninsured rate | no data | no data |

## Policy record

- Substantive public laws signed: 1319; plus 499 naming or commemorative
- Executive orders signed: 291

## Tracked events during the term

- Jun 7, 2001, law: EGTRRA (Bush tax cuts). Broad income tax rate cuts, phased in and set to expire after 2010.
- Sep 11, 2001, shock: September 11 attacks. Followed by the wars in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003), largely financed by borrowing.
- May 28, 2003, law: JGTRRA. Accelerates the 2001 rate cuts and cuts taxes on dividends and capital gains.
- Dec 8, 2003, law: Medicare Part D created. The Medicare Modernization Act adds an unfunded prescription-drug benefit, starting 2006.
- Sep 13, 2004, law: Federal assault weapons ban expires. The 1994 ban lapses after Congress declines to renew it.
- Sep 15, 2008, shock: Lehman Brothers collapses. The financial crisis peaks; the Great Recession deepens.
- Oct 3, 2008, law: TARP bank rescue (EESA). Authorizes up to $700 billion to stabilize the financial system.