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Is the higher deficit under Obama the whole story?
I see so many people saying the deficit is higher under Obama than under Bush, I can't argue with that. But is it the whole story? What about the fact that the RATE of increase has dropped dramatically under Obama?
For the last 2 years Bush almost tripled the deficit each year, while under Obama it has increased by 10%
Year GDP deficit (% of GDP)
2000 -2.37
2001 -1.25
2002 1.48
2003 3.39
2004 3.48
2005 2.52
2006 1.85
2007 1.14
2008 3.18
2009 9.91
2010 10.64
And that's without even mentioning that under Bush it went from a surplus to a deficit. I am not at all saying that this is solely the president's fault, but if the current deficit is "Obama's fault" then I'll deal with the issue in the same vein.
7 Answers
- kenny JLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
President Obama added the costs of the wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan, something that President Bush never did. Obama added the cost of Medicare Part D promoted by Bush but of course never budgeted by Bush. Bush never funded the tax cuts to the wealthy either.
Keep that in mind when looking at deficits.
Source(s): Fools will say that there was not a Clinton surplus. All you have to do is go to the gov's own (CBO) site on deficit and surplus and see. Denial is a coward. http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=2729&type=0 - Joe BTGSPLKLv 71 decade ago
The president Not Bush Not Clinton not Reagan not even Carter could increase or decrease the budget. That is the sole responsibility of congress. The president can recommend and ask for a budget. Congress may decrease or increase what the president ask for. The Supreme Court ruled against president Reagan when he didn't want to spend some of the Money that was budgeted.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Two problems..
1) We had a 300+% increase in 2008 to 2009, which was more than any year of the Bush administration, and was coming at a higher rate.
2) There was no surplus for Bush to turn into a deficit. It simply never existed, it's a myth.
- ?Lv 41 decade ago
Even the libertarian Cato Institute says that the 2009 deficit isn't Obama's fault.
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- Anonymous1 decade ago
Oh, no, not at all. There's much, much more.
a. The economy
b. His reponse to the oil spill
c. His handling of Muslim issues
d. His handling of the health care reform debate
e. The economic stimulus
f. His divisiveness
g. His handling of the wars
h. His handling of terrorism (GITMO and renewing the Patriot Act, for example)
i. His handling of DADT
j. His handling of illegal immigration and immigration reform
k. His arrogance
l. Chicago style corruption
m. Constantly blaming Republicans
n. Excessive spending
o. Excessive lying
Source(s): The alleged Clinton surplus is a myth. It never really happened. The national debt went up during the Clinton presidency. - Anonymous1 decade ago
obama sucks
