How Are We Gonna Pay for the $7.9 Trillion that Obama Added to the National Debt?

[Rustic]

Where do people get this ludicrous idea that Clinton paid down the debt? The debt increased every year meaning it was never paid down. Geez basic math.

No doubt, It must be fuzzy math authored by al gore... lol

Bill Clinton had a surplus in final years.
There was a surplus of $1.9 billion in fiscal 1999 and $86.4 billion in fiscal 2000.
I think just before 9/11 they were claiming the debt could be paid off by 2009 or therebouts. But then Cheney said that Reagan proved that deficits dont matter.
As far as deficits under Obama, you can blame those who caused the subprime mortgage meltdown.

Debt is debt... No matter the president and the Republican Congress at the time

 

[leftwinger]

Predictably, liberals here are screaming about how we're gonna "pay for" the $1.4 trillion that the Trump tax cuts are returning to the American people, while they refuse to admit that federal revenue has increased after every major tax cut since the early 1900s.

Well, I would like liberals to explain how we're gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the national debt. Just to be extra fair, this is not counting Obama's first year, because, technically, it was operating under Bush's last budget (even though Congress jacked up spending in Bush's last year over his objections, even though Obama approved a huge spending boost to the FY 2009 budget right after coming to office, and even though Obama would have added much more debt had it not been for Republican-imposed sequestration). National debt increases by president in dollar amounts and percentages:

Obama: $7.9 trillion/68 percent
Bush Jr.: $5.8 trillion/101 percent
Clinton: $0/0 percent
Bush Sr.: $2.8 trillion/54 percent
Reagan: $1.8 trillion/186 percent

Again, if Obama had not been modestly restrained by a Republican-controlled Congress, he would have added a lot more debt. Without Obama's and the Democrats' pressure for higher and higher spending, spending would have been substantially less after the Republicans took control of Congress.

Presidents didn't used to increase the debt by such large percentages. Debt increases used to be in low double digits or in single digits in terms of the percent of the increase, which is the most important number. Dollar values change over time because of inflation, which is why the percent of the increase is the most important figure:

LBJ: $42 billion/13 percent
JFK: $23 billion/8 percent
Eisenhower: $23 billion/9 percent
Truman: $7 billion/3 percent

So, liberals, how are we gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the debt? How? Or do you only worry about "paying for" something when it involves letting Americans keep more of their own money?

Which President Added Most to the U.S. Debt?

Obama didn’t add that money . He wasn’t just in office when the bills came due .

You act as if obama walked into a clean state . He walked into 2 unfunded wars ! That’s just one example .

Once again, Defense funding is in the budget. sigh. Nothing is un-funded.

Basically, Congress has doubled the debt every 8 year election cycle for the last 30 years.....with Presidential approval. Obama no budget? Almost every year? WTH?


Maybe Trump will try to get them to allow sale of Camp Pendleton or Yosemite or other assets? Pay down all debt. balance budget first. Cut cut cut.

 

[occupied]

Let's get real for a moment, republicans have laid the foundation for yet another crippling economic crash, how are we going to pay for that? Seriously, when the next crash comes, perhaps as early as this year, who will be to blame? Somehow for conservatives none of their trickle down bullshit or Trump's erratic behavior or the banks running wild will be to blame, somehow it will be poor people.

 

[skews13]

Predictably, liberals here are screaming about how we're gonna "pay for" the $1.4 trillion that the Trump tax cuts are returning to the American people, while they refuse to admit that federal revenue has increased after every major tax cut since the early 1900s.

Well, I would like liberals to explain how we're gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the national debt. Just to be extra fair, this is not counting Obama's first year, because, technically, it was operating under Bush's last budget (even though Congress jacked up spending in Bush's last year over his objections, even though Obama approved a huge spending boost to the FY 2009 budget right after coming to office, and even though Obama would have added much more debt had it not been for Republican-imposed sequestration). National debt increases by president in dollar amounts and percentages:

Obama: $7.9 trillion/68 percent
Bush Jr.: $5.8 trillion/101 percent
Clinton: $0/0 percent
Bush Sr.: $2.8 trillion/54 percent
Reagan: $1.8 trillion/186 percent

Again, if Obama had not been modestly restrained by a Republican-controlled Congress, he would have added a lot more debt. Without Obama's and the Democrats' pressure for higher and higher spending, spending would have been substantially less after the Republicans took control of Congress.

Presidents didn't used to increase the debt by such large percentages. Debt increases used to be in low double digits or in single digits in terms of the percent of the increase, which is the most important number. Dollar values change over time because of inflation, which is why the percent of the increase is the most important figure:

LBJ: $42 billion/13 percent
JFK: $23 billion/8 percent
Eisenhower: $23 billion/9 percent
Truman: $7 billion/3 percent

So, liberals, how are we gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the debt? How? Or do you only worry about "paying for" something when it involves letting Americans keep more of their own money?

Which President Added Most to the U.S. Debt?

It was already on the national debt. Bush and Cheney just put it on the credit card. $2 trillion of was part of that whole letting billionaires keep their money. The other 5 was the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. John Boehner was just forced to account for it when the Republicans took office in 2010. Obama managed to get a $700 billion stimulus package passed by a Republican controlled House, but he couldn't do that without agreeing to make another $400 billion of that more tax cuts for billionaires.

Do you even know how your government works?

Presidents don't add debt. Only Congress can spend money, and all bills that do that must originate in the House of Representatives.

You really need some remedial education in government.

 

[my2¢]

It won't get paid and from what I've read it'll get worse under Trump, with $1 trillion deficits at minimum becoming the norm.

 

[TheDude]

Let's get real for a moment, republicans have laid the foundation for yet another crippling economic crash, how are we going to pay for that? Seriously, when the next crash comes, perhaps as early as this year, who will be to blame? Somehow for conservatives none of their trickle down bullshit or Trump's erratic behavior or the banks running wild will be to blame, somehow it will be poor people.

I look forward to your partisan explanation for how "Republicans have laid the foundation for yet another crippling economic crash"

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Predictably, liberals here are screaming about how we're gonna "pay for" the $1.4 trillion that the Trump tax cuts are returning to the American people, while they refuse to admit that federal revenue has increased after every major tax cut since the early 1900s.

Well, I would like liberals to explain how we're gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the national debt. Just to be extra fair, this is not counting Obama's first year, because, technically, it was operating under Bush's last budget (even though Congress jacked up spending in Bush's last year over his objections, even though Obama approved a huge spending boost to the FY 2009 budget right after coming to office, and even though Obama would have added much more debt had it not been for Republican-imposed sequestration). National debt increases by president in dollar amounts and percentages:

Obama: $7.9 trillion/68 percent
Bush Jr.: $5.8 trillion/101 percent
Clinton: $0/0 percent
Bush Sr.: $2.8 trillion/54 percent
Reagan: $1.8 trillion/186 percent

Again, if Obama had not been modestly restrained by a Republican-controlled Congress, he would have added a lot more debt. Without Obama's and the Democrats' pressure for higher and higher spending, spending would have been substantially less after the Republicans took control of Congress.

Presidents didn't used to increase the debt by such large percentages. Debt increases used to be in low double digits or in single digits in terms of the percent of the increase, which is the most important number. Dollar values change over time because of inflation, which is why the percent of the increase is the most important figure:

LBJ: $42 billion/13 percent
JFK: $23 billion/8 percent
Eisenhower: $23 billion/9 percent
Truman: $7 billion/3 percent

So, liberals, how are we gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the debt? How? Or do you only worry about "paying for" something when it involves letting Americans keep more of their own money?

Which President Added Most to the U.S. Debt?

Obama added $9.3 trillion.

 

[Missouri_Mike]

Could Trump take Chicago by Eminent domain and auction it off to the highest bidder?

And that would bring what? About 20 bucks?

 

[Lakhota]

Predictably, liberals here are screaming about how we're gonna "pay for" the $1.4 trillion that the Trump tax cuts are returning to the American people, while they refuse to admit that federal revenue has increased after every major tax cut since the early 1900s.

Well, I would like liberals to explain how we're gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the national debt. Just to be extra fair, this is not counting Obama's first year, because, technically, it was operating under Bush's last budget (even though Congress jacked up spending in Bush's last year over his objections, even though Obama approved a huge spending boost to the FY 2009 budget right after coming to office, and even though Obama would have added much more debt had it not been for Republican-imposed sequestration). National debt increases by president in dollar amounts and percentages:

Obama: $7.9 trillion/68 percent
Bush Jr.: $5.8 trillion/101 percent
Clinton: $0/0 percent
Bush Sr.: $2.8 trillion/54 percent
Reagan: $1.8 trillion/186 percent

Again, if Obama had not been modestly restrained by a Republican-controlled Congress, he would have added a lot more debt. Without Obama's and the Democrats' pressure for higher and higher spending, spending would have been substantially less after the Republicans took control of Congress.

Presidents didn't used to increase the debt by such large percentages. Debt increases used to be in low double digits or in single digits in terms of the percent of the increase, which is the most important number. Dollar values change over time because of inflation, which is why the percent of the increase is the most important figure:

LBJ: $42 billion/13 percent
JFK: $23 billion/8 percent
Eisenhower: $23 billion/9 percent
Truman: $7 billion/3 percent

So, liberals, how are we gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the debt? How? Or do you only worry about "paying for" something when it involves letting Americans keep more of their own money?

Which President Added Most to the U.S. Debt?

Try factually answering the following question:

How much new debt did Obama create that wasn't a direct/indirect result of Bush actions/policies?

 

[AntonToo]

Bush jr spent far too much on foreign aid... a total waste of money and resources

Which was how much?

 

[AntonToo]

Predictably, liberals here are screaming about how we're gonna "pay for" the $1.4 trillion that the Trump tax cuts are returning to the American people, while they refuse to admit that federal revenue has increased after every major tax cut since the early 1900s.

Well, I would like liberals to explain how we're gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the national debt. Just to be extra fair, this is not counting Obama's first year, because, technically, it was operating under Bush's last budget (even though Congress jacked up spending in Bush's last year over his objections, even though Obama approved a huge spending boost to the FY 2009 budget right after coming to office, and even though Obama would have added much more debt had it not been for Republican-imposed sequestration). National debt increases by president in dollar amounts and percentages:

Obama: $7.9 trillion/68 percent
Bush Jr.: $5.8 trillion/101 percent
Clinton: $0/0 percent
Bush Sr.: $2.8 trillion/54 percent
Reagan: $1.8 trillion/186 percent

Again, if Obama had not been modestly restrained by a Republican-controlled Congress, he would have added a lot more debt. Without Obama's and the Democrats' pressure for higher and higher spending, spending would have been substantially less after the Republicans took control of Congress.

Presidents didn't used to increase the debt by such large percentages. Debt increases used to be in low double digits or in single digits in terms of the percent of the increase, which is the most important number. Dollar values change over time because of inflation, which is why the percent of the increase is the most important figure:

LBJ: $42 billion/13 percent
JFK: $23 billion/8 percent
Eisenhower: $23 billion/9 percent
Truman: $7 billion/3 percent

So, liberals, how are we gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the debt? How? Or do you only worry about "paying for" something when it involves letting Americans keep more of their own money?

Which President Added Most to the U.S. Debt?

Obama added $9.3 trillion.

You are a fucking liar.

I know that because I’ve been over this with you and I know you know this statement is bullshit.

You fact challenged rightwingers cannot for the life of you ever explain the simple of question of What the hell Obama spend 9.3 trillion on when just about only not-paid-for spending from him was 870 Billion stimulus.

In 2008 Bush sumbmitted a 2009 budget with 1.3 Trillion dollar deficit - did Obama spend that too???

 

[Norman]

Predictably, liberals here are screaming about how we're gonna "pay for" the $1.4 trillion that the Trump tax cuts are returning to the American people, while they refuse to admit that federal revenue has increased after every major tax cut since the early 1900s.

Well, I would like liberals to explain how we're gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the national debt. Just to be extra fair, this is not counting Obama's first year, because, technically, it was operating under Bush's last budget (even though Congress jacked up spending in Bush's last year over his objections, even though Obama approved a huge spending boost to the FY 2009 budget right after coming to office, and even though Obama would have added much more debt had it not been for Republican-imposed sequestration). National debt increases by president in dollar amounts and percentages:

Obama: $7.9 trillion/68 percent
Bush Jr.: $5.8 trillion/101 percent
Clinton: $0/0 percent
Bush Sr.: $2.8 trillion/54 percent
Reagan: $1.8 trillion/186 percent

Again, if Obama had not been modestly restrained by a Republican-controlled Congress, he would have added a lot more debt. Without Obama's and the Democrats' pressure for higher and higher spending, spending would have been substantially less after the Republicans took control of Congress.

Presidents didn't used to increase the debt by such large percentages. Debt increases used to be in low double digits or in single digits in terms of the percent of the increase, which is the most important number. Dollar values change over time because of inflation, which is why the percent of the increase is the most important figure:

LBJ: $42 billion/13 percent
JFK: $23 billion/8 percent
Eisenhower: $23 billion/9 percent
Truman: $7 billion/3 percent

So, liberals, how are we gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the debt? How? Or do you only worry about "paying for" something when it involves letting Americans keep more of their own money?

Which President Added Most to the U.S. Debt?

Obama added $9.3 trillion.

You are a fucking liar.

I know that because I’ve been over this with you and I know you know this statement is bullshit.

You fact challenged rightwingers cannot for the life of you ever explain the simple of question of What the hell Obama spend 9.3 trillion on when just about only not-paid-for spending from him was 870 Billion stimulus.

In 2008 Bush sumbmitted a 2009 budget with 1.3 Trillion dollar deficit - did Obama spend that too???

Hmm... seems like what he posted is actually a fact.

Which means denial comes that much easier for you.

 

[Windparadox]

`
`
This shouldn't be a problem for the president. Seeing that he is a "stable genius", by rights, he should have this figured out by now.

 

[mikegriffith1]

Where do people get this ludicrous idea that Clinton paid down the debt? The debt increased every year meaning it was never paid down. Geez basic math.

Clinton did pay down the debt, the public debt:

Using the public debt figures, we see that the debt rose year by year during the first four fiscal years of Clinton's stewardship, then fell during each of the following four fiscal years, from a 1997 peak to a 2001 trough.

So using this measurement, Clinton is correct that "we paid down the debt for four years," though he did overestimate the amount that was paid down when he said it was $600 billion. The actual amount was $452 billion -- which was equal to about 12 percent of the existing public debt in 1997.

"The discrepancy between the two concepts of federal debt in these years occurred because of program surpluses and the rapid growth of reserves held by the various trust fund accounts, such as Social Security," said Brookings Institution economist Gary Burtless. Social Security surpluses don't go into a "lock box" but are instead invested in government bonds; the proceeds of these purchases go into the general treasury, and when the bonds mature, the treasury is obligated to pay back the Social Security trust both principal and interest.

"The growth of these surpluses meant the rest of the federal government did not have to issue as much debt to the public," Burtless said. "In fact, the federal government paid off more of its old debt than it issued new debt to the public. Therefore, net federal debt held by the public declined." ((Bill Clinton says his administration paid down the debt)​

When George W. Bush took office, there was no deficit; the budget was balanced, and we had a surplus:

2001 United States Budget
GDP: $12.7T
Total Receipts: $2.39T
Total Outlays: $2.23T​

When you are spending less than you take in, you not only have a balanced budget but a budget surplus. That is what we had in 2001, and Bush and the Republicans threw it away with a historic, gigantic spending spree.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Mine the asteroid belt.

 

[Mac1958]

So, according to your own numbers:
The Dem presidents have added an average of of 6.25% (with the 32% added by Clinton) to the national debt per year. The Repubs presidentes have added an average of 17.05% to the national debt per year. Yet somehow a great many people think the Dems alone are the problem.

Not to mention the fact that, under Obama, the Fed had to pour $4+ TRILLION into markets to stabilize the Meltdown he inherited. And I do mean "had to". Those who try to claim that Fed intervention was unnecessary are simply speaking out of willful ignorance.

For the Republicans who point with disdain at their own party for many of our fiscal problems, bravo. But otherwise, the GOP is every bit as much to blame for this fucking mess that our children have inherited from us, if not more.
.

 

[mikegriffith1]

You are a liar. I know that because I’ve been over this with you and I know you know this statement is BS.

And you are an ignorant, brainwashed moron who can't seem to do basic math or do any independent research. The debt numbers and percentages are readily verifiable on any number of official and unofficial sites.

You fact challenged rightwingers cannot for the life of you ever explain the simple of question of What the hell Obama spend 9.3 trillion on when just about only not-paid-for spending from him was 870 Billion stimulus.

LOL! Uh, just go look at the budgets and CRs that Obama signed! And, by the way, the stimulus was $780 billion. You do realize that federal budget information is available to anyone. You can look up these numbers for yourself.

In 2008 Bush sumbmitted a 2009 budget with 1.3 Trillion dollar deficit - did Obama spend that too???

Oh, my goodness. Uh, I guess you missed the part where I said in the OP that I was NOT counting FY 2009 against Obama's numbers!

Furthermore, as for this nonsense about Bush being to blame for the FY 2009 deficit, I have personally explained this to you at least twice. Let's go over this again: The Democrats jacked up spending for Bush's last FY, over Bush's objections, and they suspended much of the additional spending measures until Obama took office, to avoid a Bush veto. When Obama took office, he quickly signed off on a bunch of additional spending that fell under FY 2009 and was included as part of the FY 2009 budget. This is a matter of public record.

But, I repeat, I did NOT count FY 2009 against Obama's numbers. You'd know that if you'd bothered to read the OP with any care.

 

[AntonToo]

Predictably, liberals here are screaming about how we're gonna "pay for" the $1.4 trillion that the Trump tax cuts are returning to the American people, while they refuse to admit that federal revenue has increased after every major tax cut since the early 1900s.

Well, I would like liberals to explain how we're gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the national debt. Just to be extra fair, this is not counting Obama's first year, because, technically, it was operating under Bush's last budget (even though Congress jacked up spending in Bush's last year over his objections, even though Obama approved a huge spending boost to the FY 2009 budget right after coming to office, and even though Obama would have added much more debt had it not been for Republican-imposed sequestration). National debt increases by president in dollar amounts and percentages:

Obama: $7.9 trillion/68 percent
Bush Jr.: $5.8 trillion/101 percent
Clinton: $0/0 percent
Bush Sr.: $2.8 trillion/54 percent
Reagan: $1.8 trillion/186 percent

Again, if Obama had not been modestly restrained by a Republican-controlled Congress, he would have added a lot more debt. Without Obama's and the Democrats' pressure for higher and higher spending, spending would have been substantially less after the Republicans took control of Congress.

Presidents didn't used to increase the debt by such large percentages. Debt increases used to be in low double digits or in single digits in terms of the percent of the increase, which is the most important number. Dollar values change over time because of inflation, which is why the percent of the increase is the most important figure:

LBJ: $42 billion/13 percent
JFK: $23 billion/8 percent
Eisenhower: $23 billion/9 percent
Truman: $7 billion/3 percent

So, liberals, how are we gonna pay for the $7.9 trillion that Obama added to the debt? How? Or do you only worry about "paying for" something when it involves letting Americans keep more of their own money?

Which President Added Most to the U.S. Debt?

Obama added $9.3 trillion.

You are a fucking liar.

I know that because I’ve been over this with you and I know you know this statement is bullshit.

You fact challenged rightwingers cannot for the life of you ever explain the simple of question of What the hell Obama spend 9.3 trillion on when just about only not-paid-for spending from him was 870 Billion stimulus.

In 2008 Bush sumbmitted a 2009 budget with 1.3 Trillion dollar deficit - did Obama spend that too???

Hmm... seems like what he posted is actually a fact.

Which means denial comes that much easier for you.

Fact is that debt increased.

The lie is that Obama caused more of it than his policy costs.

Anyone with a few firing neurons could get that.

 

[AntonToo]

You are a liar. I know that because I’ve been over this with you and I know you know this statement is BS.

And you are an ignorant, brainwashed moron who can't seem to do basic math or do any independent research. The debt numbers and percentages are readily verifiable on any number of official and unofficial sites.

You fact challenged rightwingers cannot for the life of you ever explain the simple of question of What the hell Obama spend 9.3 trillion on when just about only not-paid-for spending from him was 870 Billion stimulus.

LOL! Uh, just go look at the budgets and CRs that Obama signed! And, by the way, the stimulus was $780 billion. You do realize that federal budget information is available to anyone. You can look up these numbers for yourself.

In 2008 Bush sumbmitted a 2009 budget with 1.3 Trillion dollar deficit - did Obama spend that too???

Oh, my goodness. Uh, I guess you missed the part where I said in the OP that I was NOT counting FY 2009 against Obama's numbers!

Furthermore, as for this nonsense about Bush being to blame for the FY 2009 deficit, I have personally explained this to you at least twice. Let's go over this again: The Democrats jacked up spending for Bush's last FY, over Bush's objections, and they suspended much of the additional spending measures until Obama took office, to avoid a Bush veto. When Obama took office, he quickly signed off on a bunch of additional spending that fell under FY 2009 and was included as part of the FY 2009 budget. This is a matter of public record.

But, I repeat, I did NOT count FY 2009 against Obama's numbers. You'd know that if you'd bothered to read the OP with any care.

Idiot, what did Obama spend 9 trillion on?

He didn’t is the correct answer. Learn it.

1.3T deficits do not disappear overnight and about 40% of those deficits were from record low revenues from Great Recession and all the tax-cutting - not anyone’s spending.

 

[AntonToo]

So, according to your own numbers:
The Dem presidents have added an average of of 6.25% (with the 32% added by Clinton) to the national debt per year. The Repubs presidentes have added an average of 17.05% to the national debt per year. Yet somehow a great many people think the Dems alone are the problem.

Not to mention the fact that, under Obama, the Fed had to pour $4+ TRILLION into markets to stabilize the Meltdown he inherited. And I do mean "had to". Those who try to claim that Fed intervention was unnecessary are simply speaking out of willful ignorance.

For the Republicans who point with disdain at their own party for many of our fiscal problems, bravo. But otherwise, the GOP is every bit as much to blame for this fucking mess that our children have inherited from us, if not more.
.

Fed does not control fiscal policy, only monetary.

What they do cannot be connected to budgets in any direct way.