“Bush deserves some of the blame for signing the damn things,”
Bush deserves 100% of the blame for inheriting a balanced budget and then doubling the federal deficit on his watch. He had a veto pen and didn’t use it. He can’t even say he tried. The Republican Congress led by Hastert and Frist was spending freely, setting the tone for the reckless spending to follow. Bush could and should have reigned them in with vetoes but chose not to.
Reid and Pelosi merely built on what had already been created. Somehow I don’t recall any budget veto showdowns during the two years Reid and Pelosi controlled Congress.
History demonstrates George W. Bush was a big spending, big government president. Actions speak louder than words. Bush’s behavior was no different than any free spending Democrat.
(Second set of numbers: inflation adjusted)
2000 $236.4 Billion Surplus $325.17 Billion Surplus
2001 $127.3 Billion Surplus $170.19 Billion Surplus
2002 $157.8 Billion Deficit $207.63 Billion Deficit
2003 $377.6 Billion Deficit $485.97 Billion Deficit
2004 $413 Billion Deficit $517.54 Billion Deficit
2005 $318 Billion Deficit $385.45 Billion Deficit
2006 $248 Billion Deficit $291.42 Billion Deficit
2007 $161 Billion Deficit $183.79 Billion Deficit
2008 $459 Billion Deficit $504.95 Billion Deficit
2009 $1413 Billion Deficit $1559.6 Billion Deficit
2010 $1294 Billion Deficit $1404.99 Billion Deficit
2011 $1299 Billion Deficit $1367.37 Billion Deficit
2012 $1100 Billion Deficit $1134.02 Billion Deficit
2013 $680 Billion Deficit $691.06 Billion Deficit
2014 $492 Billion Deficit $492 Billion Deficit
(data from DaveManuel.com, for what it’s worth)
Yeah, there’s plenty of blame to lay on Bush’s shoulders, but if you think the record from 2002 - 2007 (essentially budgets Bush and the GOP congress were responsible for) are as bad as those from 2008 - present (Reid/Pelosi/Obama), go right ahead.
Bush deserves 100% of the blame for inheriting a balanced budget and then doubling the federal deficit on his watch. He had a veto pen and didn’t use it. He can’t even say he tried.
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You seem to have forgotten that it was just over 7 months after GWB took the oath that 9/11 occurred and we began to fight the terriorists in their lands. That all required $$$ (and yes, Iraq DID have WMDs!). Spending had to increase.
Clinton’s terms only resulted in reducing the dificit because his last six years were with a GOP Congress. Bush’s last two years were with a DEM Congress.
“Bush’s behavior was no different than any free-spending Democrat.”
...to the tune of one-trillion-dollar-plus non-budgets for six years?
Just asking.