Is gridlock the ideal electoral outcome?

摘要

Let's pull back from this year's mud-slinging, hair-pulling presidential contest to consider whether any election, ever, had the power to move markets. Democratic presidents, at first glance, appear to have a lock on growth (see "Trending blue," page 18). Every year that the Democrats held the White House, the S&P 500 averaged a return of 12.3%. Under Republican leadership, the S&P's performance sagged to an average of 5.7% (see "Trading the election").