A non-partisan examination of the federal debt

[Billy000]

Libs and Cons should take the time to read this because both sides of the aisle are guilty of distorting the facts:

FactCheck.org : Dueling Debt Deceptions

Here are some highlights:

...It’s not true, for example, that the debt has increased only 16 percent since Obama took office. That erroneous calculation originally came from the office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. And — despite being corrected later — it has continued to circulate via email.

And it’s also untrue — as claimed in a graphic widely circulated by email and in social media postings — that the debt has increased more under Obama than under all previous 43 presidents combined. In fact, as of Jan. 31, 2012, the rise under Obama had yet to surpass the rise under his predecessor, George W. Bush.

Here is my favorite part of the article:

We won’t attempt here to assess which side is more to blame for the mounting debt, or how much of the increase is Obama’s fault. Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein argues that the economic stimulus and other Obama policies account for just under $1 trillion of the debt added since he took office, while Bush added $5.1 trillion in his eight years — mostly due to tax cuts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. On the other hand, former Washington Post reporter Eric Pianin and others fault Obama for not getting more strongly behind the recommendations of his own deficit-reduction commission more than a year ago. Obama agreed to extend Bush’s tax cuts for two years, even as his commission called for tax reform. And he attacked Republican proposals to hold down the cost of Medicare, despite the commission’s call to move beyond the “phantom savings” in his own health care law, savings the commission said “will never materialize.”

All we can do here is point to the correct figures for how much debt has piled up on Obama’s watch, and note that there is ample blame to go around. When the partisan deceptions on each side are disregarded, the plain fact remains that the debt has increased, for many years, under both Democratic and Republican presidents. And it is currently increasing rapidly, reaching historically high levels, while partisans continue to struggle over what to do about it.

In sum, Bush increased the debt by 86% and Obama increased the debt by 45%.

 

[Billy000]

I do hope this settles the issue.

 

[Oddball]

Fact Check and well known Boiking fluffer Ezra Klein?...You can't possibly be serious.

 

[Billy000]

Fact Check and well known Boiking fluffer Ezra Klein?...You can't possibly be serious.

I don't think you can be serious, either. Do you have an actual argument against this article?

I didn't think so.

 

[g5000]

In sum, Bush increased the debt by 86% and Obama increased the debt by 45%.

From your link:

As can be seen here, Obama’s 45 percent rise is nearly equal in dollar terms to his predecessor’s 85 percent increase — because Obama started from a much higher base.

 

[g5000]

Don't let anyone tell you that Democrats are the only spend spend spend party.

Gingrich's budget plan will add more to the debt.

Santorum's budget plan will add more to the debt.

Romney's budget plan will add more to the debt.

 

[Billy000]

In sum, Bush increased the debt by 86% and Obama increased the debt by 45%.

From your link:

As can be seen here, Obama’s 45 percent rise is nearly equal in dollar terms to his predecessor’s 85 percent increase — because Obama started from a much higher base.

True enough. However, there is no denying that Bush's policies is what exploded the deficit. Obama's direct contribution to the debt is less than a trillion.

He has also made several attempts to reduce the debt by 3-4 trillion. Congress, however, blocked each proposal.

 

[Oddball]

In sum, Bush increased the debt by 86% and Obama increased the debt by 45%.

From your link:

As can be seen here, Obama’s 45 percent rise is nearly equal in dollar terms to his predecessor’s 85 percent increase — because Obama started from a much higher base.

Right...When you can't fudge the facts, fudge how they're reported.

Like I said, the OP can't possibly be serious.

 

[Immanuel]

I immediately suspect partisanship whenever someone says "A non-partisan..."

Immie

 

[Billy000]

I immediately suspect partisanship whenever someone says "A non-partisan..."

Immie

Well, that's why you should read over the source and then decide.

 

[Immanuel]

I immediately suspect partisanship whenever someone says "A non-partisan..."

Immie

Well, that's why you should read over the source and then decide.

I will if the discussion gets any good. If it doesn't, I will move on.

Either way, our government needs to stop spending period. Neither President Obama nor one of the Republican "contenders" has any intention of doing so; therefore, it makes little difference if President Obama spent more or less than President Bush. Obama, the only person who matters for now, is going to keep spending like there is no tomorrow until he leaves office. There is not a damned thing we can do about it.

Immie

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

In sum, Bush increased the debt by 86% and Obama increased the debt by 45%.

Is this acceptable to you?

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Obama's direct contribution to the debt is less than a trillion.

I'm sorry, what??

From YOUR link

That shows the nation’s total debt stood at $10.6 trillion on the day Obama took office (not $6.3 trillion), and it had increased to nearly $15.4 trillion by the end of January 2012 — a rise of more than $4.7 trillion in just over three years (not $6.5 trillion).

That’s a huge increase to be sure — 44.5 percent. And the Congressional Budget Office now projects that it will grow to more than $16 trillion by the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30. At that point, the debt will have increased by more dollars in Obama’s first four years than it did in George W. Bush’s entire eight-year tenure, when it rose by $4.9 trillion. The rise under Obama would then be the biggest dollar increase for any president in U.S. history.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

I immediately suspect partisanship whenever someone says "A non-partisan..."

Exactly. All that means is they are going to be nice about telling the other side they are wrong.

 

[Billy000]

Obama's direct contribution to the debt is less than a trillion.

I'm sorry, what??

From YOUR link

That shows the nation’s total debt stood at $10.6 trillion on the day Obama took office (not $6.3 trillion), and it had increased to nearly $15.4 trillion by the end of January 2012 — a rise of more than $4.7 trillion in just over three years (not $6.5 trillion).

That’s a huge increase to be sure — 44.5 percent. And the Congressional Budget Office now projects that it will grow to more than $16 trillion by the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30. At that point, the debt will have increased by more dollars in Obama’s first four years than it did in George W. Bush’s entire eight-year tenure, when it rose by $4.9 trillion. The rise under Obama would then be the biggest dollar increase for any president in U.S. history.

The rest of the debt under Obama was to offset the recession. It was automatic increase. Obama inherited 10 trillion. Half of that 10 trillion stemmed from Bush's two wars and the tax breaks he passed.

KNow the difference.

 

[The Rabbi]

Obama's direct contribution to the debt is less than a trillion.

I'm sorry, what??

From YOUR link

That shows the nation’s total debt stood at $10.6 trillion on the day Obama took office (not $6.3 trillion), and it had increased to nearly $15.4 trillion by the end of January 2012 — a rise of more than $4.7 trillion in just over three years (not $6.5 trillion).

That’s a huge increase to be sure — 44.5 percent. And the Congressional Budget Office now projects that it will grow to more than $16 trillion by the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30. At that point, the debt will have increased by more dollars in Obama’s first four years than it did in George W. Bush’s entire eight-year tenure, when it rose by $4.9 trillion. The rise under Obama would then be the biggest dollar increase for any president in U.S. history.

The rest of the debt under Obama was to offset the recession. It was automatic increase. Obama inherited 10 trillion. Half of that 10 trillion stemmed from Bush's two wars and the tax breaks he passed.

KNow the difference.

Any post by you with the term "non-partisan" is not to be taken seriously.


In fact your post confirms rather than refutes the idea that Obama is the most spending president in history. The percentages you quote are misleading because as mentioned Obama started with a bigger base. So his actual numbers are much larger.
And at elast some of Bush's spending came under a Democratic Congress. One, I'll mention, that pledged to rein in runaway spending.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpBnO5ICoN8&feature=related]Nancy Pelosi's Greatest Hits - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Billy000]

I'm sorry, what??

From YOUR link

The rest of the debt under Obama was to offset the recession. It was automatic increase. Obama inherited 10 trillion. Half of that 10 trillion stemmed from Bush's two wars and the tax breaks he passed.

KNow the difference.

Any post by you with the term "non-partisan" is not to be taken seriously.


In fact your post confirms rather than refutes the idea that Obama is the most spending president in history. The percentages you quote are misleading because as mentioned Obama started with a bigger base. So his actual numbers are much larger.
And at elast some of Bush's spending came under a Democratic Congress. One, I'll mention, that pledged to rein in runaway spending.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpBnO5ICoN8&feature=related]Nancy Pelosi's Greatest Hits - YouTube[/ame]

Ok this isn't hard to figure out. Yes, a lot of debt has accumulated under Obama. However, only 1 trillion of it was a result of his policies. The rest was automatic.

The day Obama came into office we were already 10 trillion in debt. 5 trillion of that was a direct result of Bush's policies. The rest was automatic.

If you cant even read the article, why do you even bother?

 

[Full-Auto]

Obama's direct contribution to the debt is less than a trillion.

I'm sorry, what??

From YOUR link

That shows the nation’s total debt stood at $10.6 trillion on the day Obama took office (not $6.3 trillion), and it had increased to nearly $15.4 trillion by the end of January 2012 — a rise of more than $4.7 trillion in just over three years (not $6.5 trillion).

That’s a huge increase to be sure — 44.5 percent. And the Congressional Budget Office now projects that it will grow to more than $16 trillion by the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30. At that point, the debt will have increased by more dollars in Obama’s first four years than it did in George W. Bush’s entire eight-year tenure, when it rose by $4.9 trillion. The rise under Obama would then be the biggest dollar increase for any president in U.S. history.

The rest of the debt under Obama was to offset the recession. It was automatic increase. Obama inherited 10 trillion. Half of that 10 trillion stemmed from Bush's two wars and the tax breaks he passed.

KNow the difference.

What we do understand is the latest Obama budget got all the tax increases he wanted and still runs a 1.3 trillion dollar deficit.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

 

[saveliberty]

In sum, Bush increased the debt by 86% and Obama increased the debt by 45%.

From your link:

As can be seen here, Obama’s 45 percent rise is nearly equal in dollar terms to his predecessor’s 85 percent increase — because Obama started from a much higher base.

True enough. However, there is no denying that Bush's policies is what exploded the deficit. Obama's direct contribution to the debt is less than a trillion.

He has also made several attempts to reduce the debt by 3-4 trillion. Congress, however, blocked each proposal.

Bush had eight years and a terrorist response. Obama has managed to do his part in less than three and a half years. He'd be ahead but Congress slowed him up.

 

[Billy000]

I'm sorry, what??

From YOUR link

The rest of the debt under Obama was to offset the recession. It was automatic increase. Obama inherited 10 trillion. Half of that 10 trillion stemmed from Bush's two wars and the tax breaks he passed.

KNow the difference.

What we do understand is the latest Obama budget got all the tax increases he wanted and still runs a 1.3 trillion dollar deficit.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

And yet your candidates are no different. Are you even aware of that?