Well, you fail to consider the technological boom that took place during Clinton's years - a boom made possible by the preparations of the Reagan-Bush years. Benefits accrue to the nation slowly, such that one presidential administration significantly affects the administrations of the future. Reagan gave us a real "peace-dividend" when he smashed the commies and 'took down that wall!' Because of him we were left with the most powerful fighting force on earth and a trajectory that beginning with the end of the recession in Bush I's term eventually mushroomed into an unprecedented expansion. Clinton simply rode that Reagan wave, deciding not to spend in amounts as great as Reagan because he didn't have to. Reagan was forced to overcome Carter's stupendous incompetence. Bush incurred his spending hiccup because of the rise of muslim terrorism, particularly Iraqi terrorism against Kuwait. Clinton benefited from the foundation set beneath him by the Republicans.
If Clinton had really balanced the budget, had he really taken in more than he spent, the national debt should not have increased. But it did increase. It increased because the notion that Clinton balanced the budget and created a surplus is quite false. Clinton merely used mirrors to project a surplus. The surplus never was in hand, he was still spending more than he took in even while lying that he was not.
Date----------Debt-------------------------Change
10/31/2001 5,815,983,290,402.24 9 (BUSH 2 still fighting terrorists...)
09/28/2001 5,807,463,412,200.06 113 (BUSH 2 fights terrorists)
(September 11 forces Bush into a new and complex war)
(Bush 2 takes office just as expansion ends! money.cnn.com
09/29/2000 5,674,178,209,886.86 18 (Still ever increasing debt. Expansion slows)
09/30/1999 5,656,270,901,615.43 130 (Expansion rages. WE STILL GOT INCREASING DEBT!)
09/30/1998 5,526,193,008,897.62 113 (Still ever increasing debt.
09/30/1997 5,413,146,011,397.34 188 (2nd Clinton term - NO WAR. STILL DEBT!)
09/30/1996 5,224,810,939,135.73 251 (Now up by 28.5%, WITH NO WAR NO CHALLENGES)
09/29/1995 4,973,982,900,709.39 281 (No war, no challenges - still increasing debt)
09/30/1994 4,692,749,910,013.32 281 (No war, no challenges - still increasing debt)
09/30/1993 4,411,488,883,139.38 346 ("No New Taxes" brings Clinton to the presidency)
09/30/1992 4,064,620,655,521.66 400 (Recession ends - unprecedented expansion begins)
09/30/1991 3,665,303,351,697.03 432 (Recession is underway)
09/28/1990 3,233,313,451,777.25 376 (Bush 1 fights Iraqis. Oil soars!)
09/29/1989 2,857,430,960,187.32 255 (Reagan wins fight. Bush 1 becomes president)
09/30/1988 2,602,337,712,041.16 252
09/30/1987 2,350,276,890,953.00 225
09/30/1986 2,125,302,616,658.42 179 (Reagan continues fight)
12/31/1985 1,945,941,616,459.88 283 2nd Reagan term
12/31/1984 1,662,966,000,000.00 252
12/31/1983 1,410,702,000,000.00 214
12/31/1982 1,197,073,000,000.00 163 (Reagan begins to fight Russians)
12/31/1981 1,028,729,000,000.00 99
12/31/1980 930,210,000,000.00 85 (Reagan takes smashed Carter economy)
publicdebt.treas.gov |
