Why do people who say they care about the debt, vote republican?

My theory is that most Republicans care about one issue or two at most. They pretend to go along with the whole Republican platform, but it's just that one issue they care about. Some want the country to be officially Christian. Some think 'liberals' are after their guns (it's amazing! Some Americans think 'freedom' is exclusively the 2nd amendment!) Some want a strong military and want the US to be the world hegemon. Some feel 'welfare cheaters' are ripping us off and want the unemployed and disabled to just curl up in a corner somewhere and die. Some don't feel they should have to pay taxes for 'public' things--education, roads, epidemic control, etc. etc. Some want minorities kept in their place so whites will have privileges once more. (Look at Glen Beck's rally today. Beneath all the bluster are three main ideas: (1) bringing the nation back to God (2) we can have huge tax cuts without giving anything up, and (2) keeping blacks and other minorities in their place.)

For the last 30 years Republicans have campaigned as budget hawks but once in office have behaved as if debt simply doesn't matter. Obviously Republicans don't really care about that or they wouldn't keep listening to these bozos. And it's just ASTONISHINGLY hypocritical to hear Republicans criticize Obama's deficits. Or corruption in the Democratic Party.

But the Republicans also carry the perennial promise that they can cut our taxes by maybe half, while not eliminating a single govt. program. Repub voters never seem to notice that it's only the rich and corporations who get the big tax breaks.

Keynesian economics says it's okay to spend deficits when you are in a recession, that it's seen as an investment because it will pull the country out of recession faster. The reason we're in this trouble is that Reagan, Bush and Bush spent huge deficits during GOOD times. The problem (and it's not a partisan one) is that it's just too easy for any president to spend money we don't have, since he can take credit for stimulating the economy, but he knows when the bill comes due he will be out of office and it'll be some other president's headache. So right wing media and rhetoric specializes in blaming Republican deficits on Democrats.

"I actually lived through the cold war era. Having said that, Reagan did more to secure the U.S. than any other president in recent history. Reagan increased govt. spending for only one reason, to bankrupt the USSR. When the Soviet Union became a non-threat it was then possible to redirect spending to other issues."

Reagan spent another 100 b on defense to a total of 300 b. It now stands at 800b.

Increasing money on the military is no magic feat, all presidents did it. We now know that it was a foolish thing because the Soviet Union was a paper tiger, ready to collapse, and filled with internal divisions.

Because we as a nation have lost much more with Democrat politicians and Presidents.

We not only were put in debt by Democrats too, we ended up with expensive and wasteful programs, violations to our constitution, marginalization of our voting power,we are told that our patriotism is misplaced, that America is'nt as great as we were taught it is, that our troops aren't to be honored...............Democrats are like a cancer trying to slowly kill this country by destroying its heart and soul.

And if you really want a wake up call. The only time we had a balanced budget was for 4 years under a REPUBLICAN Congress.

Because the Republican line has always been smaller government, lower taxes and less regulation. The reality maybe a little different but that is always their platform.

I actually lived through the cold war era. Having said that, Reagan did more to secure the U.S. than any other president in recent history. Reagan increased govt. spending for only one reason, to bankrupt the USSR. When the Soviet Union became a non-threat it was then possible to redirect spending to other issues.

Ronald Reagan's most infamous quote was "Debt doesn't matter."

I guess you haven't read current events. With Obama's stimulus plan, your grandchildren will still be paying off the debt he ran up.

So, we can use your analysis to conclude that there is a greater statistical chance that Obama and Democrats will reduce the debt...or we can consider reality.

Campaign Tip for Democrats: "We Spend Less, (just look at the chart)" is not your best slogan this year.

Either they really don't care about debt or they don't know what they are talking about.

They care about debt so much that they want more.