Bush deserves blame for this economy

Gene Maril of Arlington Heights wrote in Fence Post, "As I recall when Mr. Bush left office we had an unemployment rate of 5 or 6 percent. It is now over 10 percent." Obviously, his recollection isn't very good. President Obama was sworn into office in late January. The unemployment rate for January was 7.6 percent, but unemployment is a lagging economic indicator, meaning it is one of the last to show improvement after a recession.

Much of the economic mess (unemployment, credit and housing problems) is attributable to the Bush administration. When President Bush first became president in January of 2001, the unemployment rate was only 4.2 percent.

A good indicator of the economic legacy of George Bush and his party is the stock market performance for the years he was in office. It was the worst decade for stocks going back to the 1820s.

One reason unemployment is so high now is that the Bush administration stood idly by while jobs were being exported and did little to help young people get an affordable college education and prepare themselves for a demanding job market.

Stewart Truelsen

Hoffman Estates