ReaganBushDebt.org

[masomenos]

http://reaganbushdebt.org/

Welcome to ReaganBushDebt.org

This site tracks the current Reagan / Bush Debt.
The Reagan-Bush Debt is how much of the national debt of the United States is attributable to the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, and
the Republican fiscal policy of Borrow-And-Spend.

As of Saturday, September 06, 2008 at 11:40:07 PM in Washington, D.C.,
[View Full Quote] The Current ReaganBush Debt is:
$8,738,125,588,303.05
which means that in a total of 19 years,
these three presidents have approved of the creation of
90.33%
of the entire national debt
in only 8.1897 % of the 232 years of the existence of the United States of America.

I imagine this is misleading somehow and/or is taken out of context in one way or another. What's the truth?

[iceberg]

Originally Posted by masomenos85

http://reaganbushdebt.org/



I imagine this is misleading somehow and/or is taken out of context in one way or another. What's the truth?

someone was mad they didn't get their way.
they put up a website.
people read it.

i long for the day people quit thinking the website is legit on it's own.

[masomenos]

Originally Posted by iceberg

someone was mad they didn't get their way.
they put up a website.
people read it.

i long for the day people quit thinking the website is legit on it's own.

Is it just blatantly false then?

[hairic]

http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/usdebt.htm

[jrumann59]

Originally Posted by masomenos85

Is it just blatantly false then?

No but lets put these facts out there under Reagan and Bush Senior the Cold War was still going, matter of fact it was frigid when Reagan was in office and the WW3 was averted at least once. Comparing the debt that this country has run up over the last 50 years to the previous 150 is apples and oranges especially since the economic systems have changed so much, including the monetary system.

[theogt]

Several things contribute to this.

1. $100 billion today is worth far less than what it was worth 40 years ago.

2. Either a Bush or Reagan has been in office for 20 of the last 28 years.

3. There's only been one truly fiscally conservative period in our government and that was during the mid 90s when Gingrich and the Republicans held to their convictions. And, of course, that was sandwiched in between the Bushes.

I think if you look at federal spending as a % of GDP, we've been on a modest downslope for the past 30 years, with a few bumps of course. That was preceded by about 30 years of upward pressure on spending.

[ScipioCowboy]

Originally Posted by masomenos85

http://reaganbushdebt.org/



I imagine this is misleading somehow and/or is taken out of context in one way or another. What's the truth?

Unfortunately, there is likely more truth than falsehood to this particular site. But, in my opinion, there are vast difference between the respective intents of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush in their spending endeavors.

Upon his exodus from office, Reagan conceded that the greatest failure of his presidency was the enormous national debt with which he left the nation.

Despite his policies, Reagan fervently believed in fiscal discipline and balanced budgets; however, when he saw an opportunity to topple the Soviet Empire--perhaps the greatest threat to democracy--by outspending it, he seized that opportunity.

Reagan understood the folly of deficit spending, and only engaged in it with a clear purpose and goal.

Conversely, Bush, Jr. and Cheney have stated that "deficits don't matter." They fail to grasp the consequences of deficit spending, and engage in it because they simply don't know any better.

That's my opinion, anyway.

[theogt]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

Conversely, Bush, Jr. and Cheney have stated that "deficits don't matter." They fail to grasp the consequences of deficit spending, and engage in it because they simply don't know any better.

That's my opinion, anyway.

I think they probably believe that maintaining current % of GDP levels (in spending, deficits, total debt, etc.) is not problematic and I can't say that there's much evidence that it is.

[Sasquatch]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

Despite his policies, Reagan fervently believed in fiscal discipline and balanced budgets;

Despite my profligacy, I fervently believe in temperance and thrift.

[ScipioCowboy]

Originally Posted by theogt

I think they probably believe that maintaining current % of GDP levels (in spending, deficits, total debt, etc.) is not problematic and I can't say that there's much evidence that it is.

I'm no economics expert so I readily concede ignorance.

However, by my limited understanding, enormous national deficits adversely affect the value of our dollar relative to the rest of the world. Our dollar enjoyed such strength in the 90s because Clinton and the Republican Congress worked so intently to cut spending and balance the budget.

[ScipioCowboy]

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

Despite my profligacy, I fervently believe in temperance and thrift.

Do you believe in them absolutely, without exception or anomaly?

Or, do you envision situations in which exorbitance and quick decisiveness may constitute better courses of action?

These questions were Reagan's conundrum.

[Sasquatch]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

Do you believe in them absolutely, without exception or anomaly?

Or, do you envision situations in which exorbitance and quick decisiveness may constitute better courses of action?

These questions were Reagan's conundrum.

It's a republican logical absurdity since the so-called exception is in fact the norm.

[ScipioCowboy]

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

It's a republican logical absurdity since the so-called exception is in fact the norm.

And it's logically remiss to assume that every Republican presidency faces the same set of challenges.

Furthermore, the Gingrich-led Republican congress not only preached but lived the gospel of fiscal restraint and balanced budgets.

[Sasquatch]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

And it's logically remiss to assume that every Republican presidency faces the same set of challenges..

To be fair, they all do appear to face extremely menacing existential threats which necessitate deviating from their fervent belief in fiscal discipline and balanced budgets.

And despite Bill Clinton's philandering, he fervently believes in monogamy and fidelity.

[burmafrd]

No liberal has any business ever lecturing ANYONE about spending the taxpayers money.