I present the first in a series of related entries to combat the Romney/MSM lunatic question, "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?" Beyond simply being a dodge tactic designed to oversimplify the race and insinuate that the current economic situation belongs to President Obama's policies, the question relies upon journalists complacently repeating the question to Democrats without giving any critical thought to the state of the nation four years ago. Setting aside the disconcerting implications presented by political journalists thoughtlessly and uncritically repeating themes generated purposefully by political campaigns, the question can undeniably and resoundingly be answered in the affirmative. In order to capture the clarity of how much better off we are, I will present headlines found on front-pages in newspapers across the country four years ago. I begin with September 15th, 2008, four years ago from this Saturday. Enjoy.
"Financial crisis sinks 2 titans of Wall Street" -The San Francisco Chronicle
"Wall Street scrambles as banks teeter
Lehman will file for bankruptcy and BofA will take over Merill. The Fed eases emergency lending terms." -Las Angeles Times
"Massive shifts on Wall St." -The Washington Post
"Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers to Disappear from Wall St." -The Orlando Sentinel
"Banks hatch rescue fund" -The Baltimore Sun
"Big changes to financial landscape" -The Boston Globe
"Financial crisis on Wall St. deepens" -The Detroit News
"In frantic days, giants teeter on Wall St." -Star Tribune
"Lehman rescue falters
Several banks pool funds to help ailing financial world" -Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Bids to halt financial crisis reshape landscape of Wall St." -The New York Times
"Stunning Fall for Main Street's Brokerage Firm" -The New York Times
"Crisis on Wall St. as Lehman Totters, Merrill Is Sold, AIG Seeks to Raise Cash" -The Wall Street Journal
"Financial upheaval swallows 2 giants" -The Columbus Dispatch
"Wall St. worries could wreak havoc on markets" -USA Today
From now until November 7th (and beyond), do not let anyone forget where we were four short years ago.