Katiegrrl0
Member
"Clinton was the last President to leave a budget surplus..."
A myth.
The national debt increased 41% during the Clinton term...even with the 'peace dividend' that Reagan provided.
Not a myth at all. He left a budget surplus that could have been used to pay toward the debt. That money was not used to pay to the debt. It was returned by Bush to taxpayers.
Now, do you know how you can still add to the debt while still balancing the budget. It seems you failed this part of economics.
The budget was set up as in most administrations higher than the amount the US would take in. He stayed inside the budget and there remained a surplus of money. Had that money been paid toward the debt where it should have gone it would have brought the number down.
Bush did not use it properly and returned it to taxpayers.
There are two different pieces to making the budget. The problem is that even when the budget is balanced the debt gets added to. Most President's fail to do even that much. Reagan is the first one to start to mass the nation's debt. Do you recall him saying the debt didn't matter.
1. "It seems you failed this part of economics."
Actually, I've never failed anything.
2. I understand both economics, and flim-flam.
The debt increased 41% under Clinton, exactly as I've stated.
You must agree, since you didn't deny it.
a. "He left a budget surplus...."
This bogus claim appears with metronomic regularity among the apologists for the Left.
3.Post #51 will explain how the flim-flam is accomplished...you would do well to peruse
it. I'll save you embarrassment by not testing you about it.
4. The Reagan-Greenspan Commission for Social Security reform is the source of the funds that Clinton 'borrowed' to claim surplus.
In colloquial terms, if there was no reduction in the debt, then the use of the term 'surplus' as a political term of art is a fabrication.
For your edification:
sur·plus/ˈsərpləs/
Noun:
An amount of something left over when requirements have been met; an excess of production or supply over demand.
It should be referred to as 'smoke and mirrors.'
I bet there are days you feel its not even worth chewing through the restraints.
Again you do not understand. It is not flimflam at all. Every President does the same thing. The budget is prepared, they are now all deficit budgets that will even if balanced add to the debt. This you fail to understand. Your first mistake.
Second: Most Presidents as in the case of Reagan, Bush I, Bush II, and now Obama have not balanced the budget adding even more to the debt than predicted. Seems you failed to miss this point as well.
Third: Because Clinton balanced the budget and spent less than predicted a portion of the amount his budget added to the debt could have been paid off. His mistake was leaving the money for Bush II. Bush II did not pay toward the debt which he should have he passed the money around and didn't even consider making the payment toward the debt. You seem to have missed this as well.
Since Bush II never balanced the budget he added more to the debt each year than predicted.
Do you know the difference now? The only way I can make this more simple is to try and get a crayon font for you to read. It may increase your understanding and help you learn your colors as well.