Quote:
Originally Posted by MarchHare
Getting back to the subject of the debt ceiling for a moment, here's a list of the historical increases during the tenure of every president from the last 50 years (Republicans in bold, Democrats in italics):
Kennedy raised the debt ceiling 4 times for a total increase of 5%.
Johnson raised the debt ceiling 7 times for a total increase of 18%.
Nixon raised the debt ceiling 9 times for a total increase of 36%.
Ford raised the debt ceiling 5 times for a total increase of 41%.
Carter raised the debt ceiling 9 times for total increase of 59%.
Reagan raised the debt ceiling 18 times for a total increase of 199%.
George H.W. Bush raised the debt ceiling 9 times for a total increase of 48%.
Clinton raised the debt ceiling 4 times for a total increase of 44%.
George W. Bush raised the debt ceiling 7 times for a total increase of 90%.
Obama has raised the debt ceiling 3 times for a total increase of 26%.
http://progressivetoo.com/2011/07/14...since-kennedy/
Over this period, Republicans controlled the presidency for 28 years, Democrats for 23.
Total number of debt ceiling increases:
Republican: 48 (1.7 increases per year in office)
Democrat: 27 (1.2 increases per year in office)
Total percentage of debt ceiling increases:
Republican: 414% (14.8% per year in office)
Democrat: 152% (6.6% per year in office)
So that's something to think about next time you hear a Republican lawmaker or supporter going on about how their party is the one of fiscal restraint while the Democrats want to bloat the size of government... |
Of course the difference with Obama and all these other Presidents is that they had a budget. They havn't had one in the States since last summer. That's a lot of money sitting in the President's hands without direction.
Imagine going to a bank for a business loan without a budget. Also, the Senate is in breech of the Constution by not submitting a budget.