DialogDiplomat
Rookie
Which party manages the budget better? I'm giving you what each president from Carter forward inherited in terms of net budget deficit/surplus, what they left behind in terms of deficit/surplus, and then what the net change in the deficit/surplus was under their leadership.
Carter inherited 184.7b deficit
Carter left behind: 191.6b deficit
Net change for Carter: Worsened the budget by 6.9b
Reagan inherited: 191.6b deficit
Reagan left behind: 267.1b deficit
Net change for Reagan: Worsened the budget by 75.5b
HW Bush inherited: 267.1b deficit
HW Bush left behind: 387.5b deficit
Net change for HW Bush: Worsened the budget by 120.4b
Clinton inherited: 387.5b deficit
Clinton left behind: 166.1b SURPLUS <---note: SURPLUS
Net change for Clinton: Improved the budget by 553.6b
W Bush inherited: 166.1b SURPLUS
W Bush left behind: 1,500.8b deficit <---note: At the time, worst deficit in US history
Net change for W Bush: Worsened the budget by 1,666.9b
Obama inherited: 1,500.8b deficit
Obama left behind: 561.0b deficit
Net change for Obama: Improved the budget by 939.8b <---note: At the time, fastest rate of deficit reduction post WW2
Trump inherited: 561.0b deficit
Trump left behind: 2,402.1b deficit <---note: Worst deficit in US history
Net change for Trump: Worsened the budget by 1,841b
Biden inherited: 2,402.1M deficit
Biden today: 928.6M deficit
Net change for Biden: Improved budget by 1,473.5M <---note: Fastest rate of deficit reduction post WW2
If we put all of this together and split it out by party, we see that republican presidents combined to move the budget in the wrong direction by 3.7 trillion, whereas democratic presidents combined to move the budget in the right direction by 3.0 trillion.
So that's what the data says in terms of budget management by president and party, but what do you say? And if you feel this data isn't a good metric to use to gauge how each president or party manages the budget, what is and why?
Data: Federal Receipt and Outlay Summary
Carter inherited 184.7b deficit
Carter left behind: 191.6b deficit
Net change for Carter: Worsened the budget by 6.9b
Reagan inherited: 191.6b deficit
Reagan left behind: 267.1b deficit
Net change for Reagan: Worsened the budget by 75.5b
HW Bush inherited: 267.1b deficit
HW Bush left behind: 387.5b deficit
Net change for HW Bush: Worsened the budget by 120.4b
Clinton inherited: 387.5b deficit
Clinton left behind: 166.1b SURPLUS <---note: SURPLUS
Net change for Clinton: Improved the budget by 553.6b
W Bush inherited: 166.1b SURPLUS
W Bush left behind: 1,500.8b deficit <---note: At the time, worst deficit in US history
Net change for W Bush: Worsened the budget by 1,666.9b
Obama inherited: 1,500.8b deficit
Obama left behind: 561.0b deficit
Net change for Obama: Improved the budget by 939.8b <---note: At the time, fastest rate of deficit reduction post WW2
Trump inherited: 561.0b deficit
Trump left behind: 2,402.1b deficit <---note: Worst deficit in US history
Net change for Trump: Worsened the budget by 1,841b
Biden inherited: 2,402.1M deficit
Biden today: 928.6M deficit
Net change for Biden: Improved budget by 1,473.5M <---note: Fastest rate of deficit reduction post WW2
If we put all of this together and split it out by party, we see that republican presidents combined to move the budget in the wrong direction by 3.7 trillion, whereas democratic presidents combined to move the budget in the right direction by 3.0 trillion.
So that's what the data says in terms of budget management by president and party, but what do you say? And if you feel this data isn't a good metric to use to gauge how each president or party manages the budget, what is and why?
Data: Federal Receipt and Outlay Summary
Last edited: