Presidents and the economy: Who was best, worst? Take our quiz.
This 1933 photo provided by the New York Historical Society courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum shows President-elect Roosevelt going to his Inauguration with outgoing President Hoover in Washington, D.C. The economy's performance under the presidents since Hoover has varied widely. (Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum/AP/File)
Which US presidents had the best economic performance? It's a topic of endless debate, since presidents exercise limited control over the economy and their policies often don't bear fruit until the next administration. Still, presidents are judged at the ballot box by how well the economy performs under their watch. In a new book, "Bulls, Bears, and the Ballot Box," authors Bob Deitrick and Lew Goldfarb crunch the numbers for Herbert Hoover through George W. Bush. Separately, they have provided numbers for Barack Obama through Sept. 30, 2012. Their rankings are just one lens on a complex question. Can you guess who did best? Worst? Which party "created" more growth?
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita fell an average 7.8 percent a year during Hoover's four-year tenure.
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita fell an average 7.8 percent a year during Hoover's four-year tenure.
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita fell an average 7.8 percent a year during Hoover's four-year tenure.
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita fell an average 7.8 percent a year during Hoover's four-year tenure.
1. Who is the only president to have the economy shrink in each year of his term?
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Hoover |
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Franklin Roosevelt |
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Carter |
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Lyndon Johnson |
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