Reply #7: There is a positive aspect though...

[oecher3]

besides the pointed out biased Heritage Foundation interpretation. The U.S. has become less free to trade with over the past 4+ years. And just think of how free the contracts by the US government in Iraq have been handled, keyword Halliburton et al. Did other than American companies get a dip on reconstruction contracts? Furthermore, is it something to be proud of, why would the use this as propaganda? It is not really flattering to this administration that tries to find real allies (sorry, Poland just came to mind! No offense!) and on the other hand uses every opportunities to f.o. the UN?
There is an coherent trade off between economic freedom and standard of living, the higher the freedom, the better the standard of living. So in this case, this would be a sign that the standard of living in this country is dripping!
Now this is what I have been saying for a while, that our nice W is not making us better off, he is hurting this country and people.

He is a uniter, in being a hurtificator for most of all of us!