Economist Pedro Silverio, the head of the Center of Economic Studies of the Antilles (CENANTILLAS), part of the PUCMM in Santo Domingo, asks the simple question: Are we better off now than we were four years ago? His editorial was sparked by President Mejia?s comment that ?the public hospitals of the Dominican Republic give the same service as the hospitals in New York (City).? Silverio uses Ronald Reagan?s famous question from the 1984 US Presidential campaign as his starting point. Since the leading candidate in the current Dominican Presidential race was the President in the year 2000, a comparison between the two administrations is easily drawn. According to Silverio, many Dominicans do not pay attention to the macroeconomic indicators that can be used as a basis for comparisons. The public does not understand that the Consumer Price Index rose over 60% over the past 12 months, equivalent to double the index for the period from 1996 to 2000, but does comprehend that they must go to the shops on a daily basis and purchase less food with the little money that they have. These Dominicans do not know how to calculate the technical electrical tariffs, but they know they face higher bills each month, whether they are legal or not, that have made electricity one of the most important parts of the monthly budget. They do understand that today?s bills are five times larger then they were in 2000. They know they have to pay three times more for transportation over shorter routes. The same thing applies to medicines which are now luxury items for the poor ? a luxury that they would like to need less frequently so as to avoid the public hospitals that, according to Mejia, offer ?the same service as the hospitals in New York.? Silverio ends his article with comments on the constant rise in prices, which contrasts sharply with the 7% average rise in prices for the period of 1992 to 2000. The last four years have seen 20% price rises each year, which, combined with the reduced buying power and the loss of jobs in many areas, can only provide one answer to the question: Dominicans are surely worse off now than they were four years ago.