And who made the deficit from the surplus that Bill Clinton created? Oh yeah, the GOP. Obama has struggled mightyly to right the ship and just as we were making progress the liars at Faux News and Talk Radio made so much noise and innuendo that enough people were fooled into delaying recovery by voting in more tax cuts for the rich republicans.
As Ronald Reagan said, “Facts are stubborn things.”
It was a conservative Republican Congress that cut federal spending over the opposition of Clinton and Congressional Democrats and balanced the budget. For some reason, the same Republicans went on a spending spree when Bush became president, and Bush refused to exercise the veto. And as we know, Bush never had a solid working majority in Congress at any time, so Democrats could have cut federal spending if they were concerned about the deficits. We know that spending, and the deficits, went up when the Democrats took over Congress in ‘06.
One final fact. Obama was a senator for 4 years and was rated as the most liberal member of the Senate. Without a doubt, he contributed to the deficit spending he now blames on Bush.
“Bush never had a solid working majority”… Please… It takes 65 Democrats in the senate to ram anything through; it takes 55 Republicans. The republicans are more cohesive and the democrats use filibuster less. Bush lost the 2000 election and behaved like he had a mandate.
One other thing about the Clinton years - Clinton did benefit from a Republican congress holding spending down a little, but he also did not ask for as much expansion as Bush did. He also raised the top tax brackets a little, which had been cut from 90% under Eisenhower down to 31%, to raise some revenue. Both Clinton and the Republican Congress can take credit for balancing the ship in that era.
Why would Bush veto the massive deficit spending that he was asking for?
And it’s really tiring how the Republicans conveniently rate whoever their opponent is as “the most liberal of all time”. Is there seriously anyone who buys that BS anymore? (Of course there is, you Barry). I mean Vermont regularly elects an actual Socialist to congress -someone who belongs to the Socialist Party, and we’re supposed to believe Gore, no Kerry, no Obama are the most liberal senators EVER?
goldwater needs to check his filter and realize that heavy metal poisoning greatly affects the brain and eliminates the ability to tell fact from fiction, or reason.
“As Ronald Reagan said, ‘Facts are stubborn things.’”
Actually, Reagan said “Facts are stupid things,” although I don’t doubt that he intended to say “stubborn.” And anyway, he was attempting to quote John Adams. The GOP didn’t completely disassociate from a fact-based worldview until W.
I am not attempting to defend Bush. He was not a fiscal conservative by any means. My point is this: Democrats are as much to blame as Republicans for the reckless spending during the Bush Administration. The Democratic rhetoric about the Bush deficits is downright dishonest. Under Bush, federal spending increased at a greater rate than any president since LBJ. That would not have happened if the Democrats truly were concerned about the deficit.
myming, “cleaning it up” is the responsibility of the incumbents. But “keeping it from happening again” requires identifying the causes of the current crises, which often leads to previous administrations. Otherwise, you’re blaming the firemen for not doing their job fast enough, and letting the arsonists off scot-free.
Lest you imagine that this is simply my justification for beating the “Blame Bush” drum, both parties have done it forever…
Pirate, I don’t understand your “delusional” comment.
Bush launched the Afghanistan war.
Bush launched the Iraq war.
Bush launched TARP.
“President Bush increased government spending more than any of the six presidents preceding him, including LBJ. In his last term in office, President Bush increased discretionary outlays by an estimated 48.6 percent.
During his eight years in office, President Bush spent almost twice as much as his predecessor, President Clinton. Adjusted for inflation, in eight years, President Clinton increased the federal budget by 11 percent. In eight years, President Bush increased it by a whopping 104 percent. ”
What part of “spending spree” is it that you can’t understand?
stuart_zechman over 13 years ago
And who made the deficit from the surplus that Bill Clinton created? Oh yeah, the GOP. Obama has struggled mightyly to right the ship and just as we were making progress the liars at Faux News and Talk Radio made so much noise and innuendo that enough people were fooled into delaying recovery by voting in more tax cuts for the rich republicans.
Chocktaw over 13 years ago
A piquant observation.
pam Miner over 13 years ago
Stuart you think good, man. What is wrong with people?
Motivemagus over 13 years ago
Zing!!
riley05 over 13 years ago
I know…let’s add 4 trillion to our debt by keeping all the Bush tax cuts intact.
It’s the Republican mandate!
AuH2O over 13 years ago
As Ronald Reagan said, “Facts are stubborn things.”
It was a conservative Republican Congress that cut federal spending over the opposition of Clinton and Congressional Democrats and balanced the budget. For some reason, the same Republicans went on a spending spree when Bush became president, and Bush refused to exercise the veto. And as we know, Bush never had a solid working majority in Congress at any time, so Democrats could have cut federal spending if they were concerned about the deficits. We know that spending, and the deficits, went up when the Democrats took over Congress in ‘06.
One final fact. Obama was a senator for 4 years and was rated as the most liberal member of the Senate. Without a doubt, he contributed to the deficit spending he now blames on Bush.
“Facts are stubborn things.”
meetinthemiddle over 13 years ago
“Bush never had a solid working majority”… Please… It takes 65 Democrats in the senate to ram anything through; it takes 55 Republicans. The republicans are more cohesive and the democrats use filibuster less. Bush lost the 2000 election and behaved like he had a mandate.
One other thing about the Clinton years - Clinton did benefit from a Republican congress holding spending down a little, but he also did not ask for as much expansion as Bush did. He also raised the top tax brackets a little, which had been cut from 90% under Eisenhower down to 31%, to raise some revenue. Both Clinton and the Republican Congress can take credit for balancing the ship in that era.
Why would Bush veto the massive deficit spending that he was asking for?
And it’s really tiring how the Republicans conveniently rate whoever their opponent is as “the most liberal of all time”. Is there seriously anyone who buys that BS anymore? (Of course there is, you Barry). I mean Vermont regularly elects an actual Socialist to congress -someone who belongs to the Socialist Party, and we’re supposed to believe Gore, no Kerry, no Obama are the most liberal senators EVER?
Dtroutma over 13 years ago
goldwater needs to check his filter and realize that heavy metal poisoning greatly affects the brain and eliminates the ability to tell fact from fiction, or reason.
fritzoid Premium Member over 13 years ago
“As Ronald Reagan said, ‘Facts are stubborn things.’”
Actually, Reagan said “Facts are stupid things,” although I don’t doubt that he intended to say “stubborn.” And anyway, he was attempting to quote John Adams. The GOP didn’t completely disassociate from a fact-based worldview until W.
AuH2O over 13 years ago
I am not attempting to defend Bush. He was not a fiscal conservative by any means. My point is this: Democrats are as much to blame as Republicans for the reckless spending during the Bush Administration. The Democratic rhetoric about the Bush deficits is downright dishonest. Under Bush, federal spending increased at a greater rate than any president since LBJ. That would not have happened if the Democrats truly were concerned about the deficit.
myming over 13 years ago
why don’t we just say, “the buck and blame stops here?” and get ON with cleaning it up ???
fritzoid Premium Member over 13 years ago
myming, “cleaning it up” is the responsibility of the incumbents. But “keeping it from happening again” requires identifying the causes of the current crises, which often leads to previous administrations. Otherwise, you’re blaming the firemen for not doing their job fast enough, and letting the arsonists off scot-free.
Lest you imagine that this is simply my justification for beating the “Blame Bush” drum, both parties have done it forever…
pirate227 over 13 years ago
”For some reason, the same Republicans went on a spending spree when Bush became president,”
Talk about delusional…
riley05 over 13 years ago
Pirate, I don’t understand your “delusional” comment.
Bush launched the Afghanistan war. Bush launched the Iraq war. Bush launched TARP.
“President Bush increased government spending more than any of the six presidents preceding him, including LBJ. In his last term in office, President Bush increased discretionary outlays by an estimated 48.6 percent.
During his eight years in office, President Bush spent almost twice as much as his predecessor, President Clinton. Adjusted for inflation, in eight years, President Clinton increased the federal budget by 11 percent. In eight years, President Bush increased it by a whopping 104 percent. ”
What part of “spending spree” is it that you can’t understand?
http://mercatus.org/publication/spending-under-president-george-w-bush
pirate227 over 13 years ago
Anthony, I’m saying that AuH2O is delusional.
He says “for some reason” like he doesn’t understand that it was the difference in the President. Of course he can’t give a Dem President any credit.
riley05 over 13 years ago
Thanks for the clarification.