Clinton reduced the deficit. Bush exploded the deficit. Both facts. If Republicans are such deficit hawks, why does this happen over and over again when they have the White House?
Republican congresses reduced the deficit. Democratic congress exploded the deficits. Both facts. If Democrats are such deficit hawks, why does this happen over and over again when they have the Congress.
Lets look at the congresses from 1989 (101st) and forward to demonstrate this.
From 1989 to 1994, under full
Democratic controll of congress, the deficit went from $152.6 to $203.2 Bil. An increase on the deficit of $50.5 Bil. Over that period of time the average deficit was $231.91 Bil.
From 1995 to 2000, under full
Republican controll of congress, the deficit went from $164 Bil to $-236.2 Bil. A decrease of $400.2 Bil. That's an average deficit over that period of time $-22.98 Bil.
From 2001 to 2002, with Democratic controll of the Senate and Republican control of the House, the deficit when from $-128.2 Bil to $157.8 Bil. An increase of $286 Bil and an average deficit over that time of $14.76 Bil.
From 2003 to 2006, with complete
Republican control of congress, the deficit went from $377.6 Bil to $248.2 Bil. That's a decrease of $-129.4 Bil and an average of $339.2 per year
From 2007 to 2010, with complete
Democratic control of congress, the deficit went from $160.7 Bil to $1294.3 Bil. That's an increase of $1133.7 Bil and an average deficit of $831.6 per year.
From 2011 to now, with Democratic control of the Senate and Republican control of the House, the deficit went from $1299.6 Bil to $483.4 Bil. That's a decrease of $-816.24 and an average deficit of $887.3
So lets look at some of those facts.
Democrats controlled all of congress twice in that time span. They increased deficits by $50.5 billion one time and $1133.7 billion the next.
Republicans controled all of congress twice in that time span. They decreased deficits by $400.2 billion one time and $129.4 billion the next.
The Republicans came after the Democrats once. The average deficit during their span was $254.9 billion less than the Democrats that preceeded them.
The Democrats came after the Republicans once. The average deficit during their span was $492.4 billion more than the Republicans that preceeded them.
The average deficit during the entire Republican controlled congresses over this time span was $121.9 billion.
The average deficit during the entire Democratic controlled congresses over this time span was $471.8 billion
The deficit decreased from the year before 5 times while congress was under full control by Democrats.
The deficit decreased from the year before 8 times while congress was under full control by Republicans.
Just as you keep claiming, all I'm doing is stating "facts". Feel free to point out anything about those numbers that isn't a "fact".
And thus the glory of the statement that there are lies, damn lies, and statistics. Some people like to keep saying they are posting "facts" and acting like presenting said "facts" will make everyone forget that the opinion and the subjective choices they're using in relation to those facts aren't any less questionable simply because there's a "fact" attached to it. The worth of a lot of these facts you, I, and everyone else in this thread are posting is largely based on subjective choices each of us make to decide what we want to give more, or less, concern to.