Remember when the internet was called the Information Superhighway and everyone thought it was going to bring the world together, empower people, and stop misinformation from governments?
Well, we were wrong. Turns out the internet has become a propaganda machine and a shopping bonanza that has changed retail forever. No one, I ever heard, predicted the internet would bankrupt small retail businesses and mom-and-pops, but it did.
Because I am an ever-curious person, evident by my radio/podcast show, I have inquisitively jumped into this newfangled app called ChatGPT. Wowser! If you haven’t, you need to. It has helped me with my health, my business, my shopping, and my discernment of misinformation. Think of AI as the counterbalance to the bad actors online who use algorithms to gaslight and mislead us all. Currently ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or whichever AI you prefer, has no political agenda (yet); they simply collect, organize, and deliver information.
Can it all go very bad, sure. But how? None of us know yet. We are only guessing. So, before AI goes feral I am going to get all the good out of it I can. And no, I am not going to replace my graphic artists and writers, they are irreplaceable. But I am going to get healthier, smarter, and wiser.
What AI Told Me About U.S. Presidents and the Economy
Just out of curiosity I asked ChatGPT who in the last 50 years, were the best and worst US Presidents for our economy. What I learned from this query: party doesn’t matter.
BEST ECONOMY
Over the last 50 years, the best-performing economy under a U.S. president
1. Bill Clinton (1993–2001): Economic Highlights
- GDP Growth: Averaged around 3.8% annually.
- Job Creation: Over 22 million jobs added — a modern record.
- Unemployment: Dropped from 7.3% to 4.2%.
- Inflation: Remained low (~2.5% average).
- Federal Budget: Turned a deficit into a surplus — the U.S. ran four consecutive budget surpluses.
- Stock Market: The S&P 500 tripled during his presidency.
- Productivity: Accelerated due to the tech boom and globalization.
Overall: A period of strong, broad-based economic growth with rising wages, low inflation, and budget surpluses.
2. Ronald Reagan came in Second Best
WORST ECONOMY
Over the last 50 years, the president who presided over the “worst” economy
1. Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
- Inflation: Peaked at 13.5% in 1980
- Unemployment: Rose to 7.5%
- Interest rates: Soared to over 18%
- Gas shortages & energy crisis: Long lines at pumps, oil embargo fallout
- GDP growth: Sluggish and unstable
- Consumer confidence: Hit record lows
“Stagflation” — simultaneous inflation + high unemployment — was the defining economic challenge.
2. George W Bush came in Second Worst.
About the Author
Kerry McCoy founded FlagandBanner.com in 1975 with just $400 and a dream, building it from door-to-door flag sales into a multi-million dollar enterprise. With over five decades in the American flag and banner business, her insights into patriotic trends and flag sales patterns come from serving customers nationwide during times of celebration, crisis, and everything in between.
Kerry is also the host of “Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy” radio show and continues expanding her business empire through Kerry McCoy Enterprises while sharing the entrepreneurial wisdom gained from decades of building the American dream.
