What followed over the next 8 years was one of the most successful economic periods in American history.
- 20 million new jobs created
- Inflation dropped from 13.5% in 1980 to 4.1% in 1988
- Unemployment fell from 7.6% to 5.5%
- Net worth of average earning families grew by 27%
- Real gross national product rose 26%
- Interest rates down from 21.5% in 1980 to 10% in 1988
You know when a period of economic success has taken place when they name it after the leader and the term Reaganism economic policy is now embedded into American political history. It is true that Reagan held a degree in Economics but Donald Trump’s personal economic record is not too shabby either.
I have a feeling that Trump would be fired up to prove the world wrong and would want to make America great again. The American and world economy would be something he would take on as a personal challenge to establish his own place in history and he does seem to have the Midas touch.
How a President Trump would affect Europe is anyone’s guess. Hopefully he would listen to his advisers and not continue to poke his nose into the affairs of Europe. Criticising Merkel and other European leaders is not something that will build relationships and let us hope that the comments he is making about European policies on immigration, for example, are just his own electioneering.
What is needed is something to give the markets a boost. Shares have continued to spiral downwards over a prolonged period and the price of Oil is continuing to float around the $30 a barrel price – though whether this is due to the normal supply and demand factors or whether it is due to the USA controlling the price by flooding the market for their own political reasons is another question.
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Living in Germany brings a few challenges for the expat. Not only do you have to negotiate the language and the culture you also have to get to grips with the German insurance system, which to anyone whose experience of insurance has largely been confined to the UK can seem incredibly complicated.
A famous Spanish song is entitled ‘Seville has a special colour’ and Seville is indeed warm, vibrant, full of history and has a great atmosphere – whether you are into all of that or merely enjoy a glass of red wine and a plate of 5J Spanish Ham.