Repost? Most likely but better graphics

[gwb72tii]

No, definitely not. As a percentage of GDP they decreased and deficit increased.
Had they been proportional to the percentage of GDP as they were in the Clinton years and the spending for two unnecessary wars had not occurred we would have stayed in surplus budget during Bush years. He wasn't much of a fiscal conservative and neither is Romney (or Obama to be fare).

good try herb
but agreement on bush being a conservative (not)

[LBJefferies]

^because Al Gore invented the Internet which created the tech boom and increased GDP. Everyone knows that.

I really hate to defend Al Gore here, but he is largely responsible for the legislation that greatly expanded and allowed public access to the early internet. That whole thing has been blown way out of proportion.

[Morrison]

I stand corrected. My previous assumption was that the reason things were so good under Slick Willy was because Sir Isaac Newt was really the one making the magic happen behind the scenes in Congress. He told me so himself many times during the primaries.

[Dozyproductions]

I think we need another war or two. That should clear the debt!

[LBJefferies]

While the numbers in the graphics are definitely alarming, keep in mind that we have by far the largest GDP in the world. Perhaps a better number to look at would be the debt to gdp ratio which is much more assuring. Regardless, we need to fix the deficit.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/01/daily-chart-8

Notice that the article states that we have actually been paying off some debt, albeit slowly.

If you look here, we aren't as bad as many people and the media are making it out to be. Given the size and diversity of the US economy, there is no question that the hard times will be weathered.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/world-debt-clock.html

[StereoInstaller1]

everyone has to pay something, a minimum, for the privilege of living in the USA.

Start with the churches

[Vedubin01]

Start with the churches

It starts with the people, people make up a church.

[M-technik-3]

It starts with the people, people make up a church.

Agree, everyone should pay taxes if they want to something from the gov't. Freeloading has to end, I did 5 months of unemployment and it drove me nuts. Plus you still need to claim that as income so your double taxed on that money you paid into the system.