aquapub

The "experts" have been shocked once again by how much the deficit has shrunk, and you can't seem to find hardly any media outlets reporting on it.

"WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal government registered a budget deficit of $161 billion for the just-completed fiscal year, the Congressional Budget office estimated Friday.
The 2007 deficit figure represents considerable improvement over the $248 billion deficit posted last year. It's even smaller when compared to the size of the economy—the measure deemed most important by economists.

At 1.2 percent of gross domestic product, the fiscal picture is the best it's been since 2001, the last year the government ran a budget surplus."

US Budget Deficit Drops to $161 Billion

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They tell you they are not going to tax your family. No, they're just going to tax ‘businesses!’ So unless you buy something from a ‘business,’ like groceries or clothes or gasoline ... or unless you get a paycheck from a big or a small ‘business,’ don't worry ... it's not going to affect you. -Fred Thompson

Iriemon

Sounds impressive, but it's mostly smoke and mirrors. This "deficit" does not include the $200 billion in SS taxes stolen from the SS trust nor "off-budget" expenditures like the cost of the wars.

Thus, despite the "deficit" "only" being $161 billion, the US Govt was forced to borrow over $1/2 trillion last year for the 5th straight year.

Total US debt. Source: Dept of Treasury.

2006 $8,507 billion
2007 $9,008 billion

Or if we want to use the funny accounting methodology, then in Clinton's final year, the "surplus" was $236 billion, so a "deficit" of $161 billion is $397 billion worse than it was when Bush took over.

__________________
Matthew 5:9

aquapub

1) Link?

2) The next thing to look at is how much have revenues have increased.

3) Again you resort to the cum hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy.

Iriemon

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/govt.htm

Far less than the economy. We've looked at that before in several threads.

Not. There is definite cause and effect between tax rates and how much tax revenues the Govt collects.

aquapub

Ok...link to facts that back up your assertion?

Then let's look at it again.

There are also a hell of a lot of other factors you've managed to leave out like natural disasters, terrorist attacks, the end of the tech boom, corporate scandals, etc...all of which played to Clinton's favor and against Bush's.

Iriemon

Debt data is from the Dept of Treasury source I cited.

Deficit data is from CBO.gov historical tables.

Economic data is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Dept of Commerce.
http://bea.gov/national/xls/gdplev.xls

Not with you. I have better things to do than to engage in your trolling.

But if anyone else wants to rationally discuss these issues or my statement, I'll be happy to.

See above.

aquapub

Show me.

This link won't work.



That's what I thought. BTW, who is it that keeps getting points for trolling? Not I.

Lovely comeback.

Iriemon

Sorry Aquapub, I don't feel like indulging your little mastebatory antics on this one. We've done it before.

But I'll be happy to discuss it with anyone else who is willing to do so rationally.

aquapub

Smear, diversion, smear diversion. I rest my case.

Iriemon

Ohh, did you get your feeling hurt? Sorry!