News flash! Obama most frugal president since Ike
From the Marketwatch column at the Wall Street Journal:
“Almost everyone believes that Obama has presided over a massive increase in federal spending, an “inferno” of spending that threatens our jobs, our businesses and our children’s future. Even Democrats seem to think it’s true.
But it didn’t happen. Although there was a big stimulus bill under Obama, federal spending is rising at the slowest pace since Dwight Eisenhower brought the Korean War to an end in the 1950s…..
Over Obama’s four budget years, federal spending is on track to rise from $3.52 trillion to $3.58 trillion, an annualized increase of just 0.4%.”
The column makes many of the points made on this blog in the past. For example, it points out that when Obama took office in 2009, the fiscal 2009 budget year was already four months underway, driven by spending and revenue programs put into place under President Bush.
If we rank spending increases for presidential budgets since 1980, it looks like this:
Reagan, 1982-85: Annual increase of 8.7 percent
Reagan, 1986-89: Annual increase of 4.9 percent
Bush I, 1990-93: Annual increase of 5.4 percent
Clinton, 1994-1997: Annual increase of 3.2 percent
Clinton, 1998-2001: Annual increase of 3.9 percent
Bush II, 2002-2005: Annual increase of 7.3 percent
Bush II, 2006-2009: Annual increase of 8.1 percent
Obama, 2010-2013: Annual increase of 1.4 percent
(It should be noted that in the interest of fairness and accuracy, the above numbers attribute increased 2009 spending from the Obama stimulus to Obama, who initiated it and signed it into law, rather than to Bush. That’s why the annual increase in the chart — 1.4 percent — is higher than the 0.4 percent mentioned in the column excerpt.)
I understand that this data strike directly at the heart of the GOP caricature of Obama. They contradict the foundation of the conservative rant against this president, not to mention the idolatry directed at Ronald Reagan. And since the data cannot be rebutted — the plain numbers are there for all to see — they will simply be ignored lest millions of heads explode simultaneously.
In that light, I thought I would close with this last little bit of data from the Wall Street Journal article:
“After adjusting for inflation, spending under Obama is falling at a 1.4% annual pace — the first decline in real spending since the early 1970s, when Richard Nixon was retreating from the quagmire in Vietnam.
In per-capita terms, real spending will drop by nearly 5% from $11,450 per person in 2009 to $10,900 in 2013 (measured in 2009 dollars).”
– Jay Bookman
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813 comments Add your comment
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
9:48 am
williebkind. The Evil was starting a WAR…that is what George Bush did….. Killing is killing no matter what the age.
Steve Atl
May 23rd, 2012
9:48 am
I can cut and paste as well…this is bad…really bad for Obama. Romney in 2012 to fix this mess.
Here is President Obama’s budget for fiscal year 2012 (and outlook through 2021). And here is a look at some of the numbers that stand out:
$3.73 trillion — total spending this year (25 percent of GDP, highest levels since World War Two).
$46 trillion — total spending over the next decade.
$8.7 trillion — total new spending over the same period.
$26.3 trillion — Total new debt, including entitlement obligations, predicted by 2021.
$7.2 trillion — Total deficit predicted by the end of the decade.
$1.1 trillion — How much the White House estimates the proposal will reduce the deficit over the next ten years.
$4 trillion — How much the president’s deficit commission recommended reducing the deficit over the next ten years to avoid financial catastrophe.
$1.6 trillion — The projected annual deficit for 2011 (11 percent of GDP), up from $1.3 trillion in 2010.
$2 trillion — Amount the budget will raise taxes on business and upper-income families over the next ten years, which includes letting the Bush-era tax rates expire in 2012 (for incomes $250,000 and up).
$50 billion — Amount the administration plans to spend this year on infrastructure and transportation “investments.”
$30 billion — Amount dedicated to a “National Infrastructure Bank to invest in projects of regional or national significance to the economy,” including the much-touted high-speed rail initiative.
$77.4 billion — Funding allocated for the Department of Education, a 22 percent increase from 2010 levels, and a 35 percent increase from 2008 levels.
$29.5 billion — Total spending on the Department of Energy, a 22 percent increase from 2008 levels.
$9.9 billion — Funding allocated for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a 30 percent increase from 2008 levels.
$150 billion — Total amount the White House plans to spend next year on research and development programs.
8.2 percent — Predicted unemployment rate in 2012.
Mick
May 23rd, 2012
9:49 am
recon
They predicted the same thing when clinton raised taxes in 92, what happened next? The economy boomed…
Jm
May 23rd, 2012
9:49 am
Bro
If I whined every time I was insulted here, I wouldn’t have time to say much else
Man up son!
Butch Cassidy
May 23rd, 2012
9:49 am
Recon – “Here’s the reality, the Congressional Democrats in the Senate haven’t passed a budget in over 3 years and Obummer can’t govern sufficiently enough to get them to do so. Now we’re heading for disaster in 013.”
If the endresult is the prediction below, I’m all for it. I guess we really do need those tax cuts to go away. Thanks Recon
The economy would rebound at a 2.3 percent growth rate in the second half of the year, however, under CBO projections.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/22/cbo-says-us-likely-to-fall-fiscal-cliff-if-bush-era-tax-cuts-allowed-to-expire/#ixzz1vhX8uyAc
Misty Fyed
May 23rd, 2012
9:50 am
It must be sad to be Peter. His President is so incompetent he can’t produce any change whatsoever…Everything that is wrong is Bush’s fault. Obama just can’t fix anything.
Jay
May 23rd, 2012
9:50 am
“Here’s the reality, the Congressional Democrats in the Senate haven’t passed a budget in over 3 years ….
Recon, maybe you can educate us as to why that is so important, given that budgets passed by Congress are merely advisory, with no legal or practical consequence whatsoever. No taxes are raised or lowered by a budget resolution; no money is appropriated in a budget resolution. And the resolution — it’s a mere resolution, not a law — is binding on no one once it is approved. It has all the real-life effect of a congressional resolution lauding a local Kiwanis Club.
Given all that, why do conservatives give the resolution such importance? I’d like to understand, and if you could explain it to me I would deeply appreciate it.
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
9:51 am
WOW……Steve Atl……Imagine a President spending money at home, and not invading another country, then having zero idea how to pay for it ?
Peadawg
May 23rd, 2012
9:51 am
“Bush’s policies = 4.0 Trillion (wars, drugs’ entitlement)” – Which Obama didn’t touch
“Bush’s tax cuts = 3.0 Trillion” – Which Obama extended
$5 Trillion added to the debt since 2008…spin all you want.
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
9:52 am
So what is the point of that statement? Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_City_(song)
“Chocolate City” is a song by the funk band Parliament, the lead track of their 1975 album of the same name. It was also released as a two-part single, the first from the album.
The song’s largely spoken vocals (delivered by George Clinton) express pride in “Chocolate Cities”, that is, cities with a majority black population. The song also reflects on the solidarity of African-American society at the time. The singer playfully hypothesizes what it would be like if there were an African American in the White House, and assigns the following people to positions in government:
Muhammad Ali – President of the United States
Reverend Ike – Secretary of the Treasury
Richard Pryor – Minister of Education (fictional – the United States Department of Education was not created until 1979, and was headed by a Secretary)
Stevie Wonder – Secretary of Fine Arts (fictional; the closest existing agency is the National Endowment for the Arts)
Aretha Franklin – First Lady
And, as history has proven, that was nothing but pure musical musings. To answer your question, no, it’s not a threat. Go and listen to the song if you’ve never heard it before…
That’s hilarious… P-Funk designated as a “threat”….
Recon 0311 2533
May 23rd, 2012
9:52 am
Jay’s news flash sure has scooped all of the other news outlets. I’ll bet the carnival man will be boasting about this at the next press conference.
Bob Leblah
May 23rd, 2012
9:53 am
How much money has been printed in the last 4 years?
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
9:53 am
Jay: Given all that, why do conservatives give the resolution such importance? I’d like to understand, and if you could explain it to me I would deeply appreciate it.
I suspect you know the answer to this: It’s the same as the reason they keep trotting out other usual talking points – They want to distract, deflect, divide, and then in the same breath blame the left for all of those d words.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection says “what?”
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
May 23rd, 2012
9:53 am
Yes, I’ll cite news I agree with
And I’ll attack opinion pieces I disagree with
There’s your sign.
Big. Bright. Blinking neon.
Oi!
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
9:53 am
Cry Misty Fyed for yourself…….. Obama is doing fine, and in 10 years or so America may be out of the Bush mess.
Thus the reason to not allow a fox to rule the hen house yet again…….especially one that wants to up the military budget.
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
9:54 am
jm
You were the one who whined. I simply stated that you acknowledged that you had lost the debate by resorting to name calling. You need to man up and actually debate before throwing in the towel.
Generation$crewed
May 23rd, 2012
9:54 am
I’m kinda confused maybe one of you real smart folks can help me out!!
We can all agree that GWB was a big spender, real big spender.
So what does that say that Obama has increased from that, I mean we have all heard Obama b*tch and moan about Bush. Seems odd he would keep so many of his same identical policies.
Whatever happened to the guy who said he would attack the budget with a scapel? What a liar!
I’m am still not sure how anyone opposed to bush and his policies can be in favor of Obama, unless you are basing it on something other than policies and job performance??
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
9:54 am
Bob Leblah ……. How many American’s died in Iraq, and for what ?
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
9:55 am
“Bush’s tax cuts = 3.0 Trillion” – Which Obama extended
Implying that Obama is therefore responsible for the entire cost of the tax cuts since their original implementation, correct?
Here’s a hint: Even if you include the cost of the tax cuts SINCE their extension, Obama has spent less than Bush’s first term. Even in dollar for dollar values.
Joe Hussein Mama
May 23rd, 2012
9:55 am
M. Fyed — “Of course your article fails to mention the coming affect of Obamacare years after Obama is gone.”
Jay prefers to deal in facts, not speculation. The cons here, not so much. Why, just recently, the “fact” that ‘gas is heading to $5 a gallon’ was cited as *evidence* here by several of our regulars in discussions — despite the fact that it never happened and gas is how heading *down.*
Y’all don’t have a very good record of prognostication, so I’m sure you’ll understand when we don’t accept your fever-dream predictions as anything close to the degree of ‘evidence’ y’all seem to think they are.
Jm
May 23rd, 2012
9:55 am
Peadawg agree with your 9:51
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
May 23rd, 2012
9:55 am
“That’s hilarious… P-Funk designated as a “threat”…”
What’s not hilarious is the anti-white mantra that has been exposed on this blog ever since the demographics blog.
Moderate Line
May 23rd, 2012
9:56 am
Jay
May 23rd, 2012
9:40 am
While I appreciate your kind words about my writing ability, Gordon, their impact is lessened by your inability to get even basic facts correct.
For example, Obama has NOT “added more to the debt than all other presidents combined with 8 months left in his first term,” and in fact it is not even close.
+++++
In order for what conservatives say to be true Gross Federal Debt would have to double, However, the Federal debt when from 56.4 to 85.2 under Bush. Under Reagan it went from 32.5 to 53.1 Under Obama it has gone from 85.2 to 98.7
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
9:56 am
Generation$crewed ..Seems to me that the spending was done to get the economy back on track…….
Seems the GOP followers have forgotten the almost ” DEPRESSION “…….we have had to deal with.
Recon 0311 2533
May 23rd, 2012
9:56 am
Jay, it does provide a metric for budget performance that the Democrats don’t want to be measured on.
St Simons - official approver of E Warren's cheekbones
May 23rd, 2012
9:57 am
now if Obama would continue the Ike tradition of putting his thumb
on the MIC, and the big one – 91% tax for the wealthy, this thing would
fire back up so fast, you’d need seatbelts.
Do you know why they had the rate that high? Do you know? Do u know?
They had that rate high and corp taxes correspondingly low to
discourage the hoarding of wealth and encourage re-investment in
the economy. The only thing they missed is re-investment ‘credits’
to further encourage it (Germany, Scandinavia, Switz.), kind of like
ether in the carburetor.
Its so easy. This can be fixed. And it will be. As soon as these
horrible supply side jaysus wealth hoarding scamming neocons are
thrown out. They’ve done a great job of brainwashwing & bamboozling
the rubes, their base, but even the rubes are gonna figger it out sooner
or later, and when they do, the neocons will need witness,
or in this case witless protection.
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
9:57 am
GS: I’m am still not sure how anyone opposed to bush and his policies can be in favor of Obama
Because Obama’s opponent wants to take up all of those same policies and drag us further into the red (both on the balance sheet and on the political spectrum) with all of them. More tax cuts that cost us even more, more drug company and oil company giveaways, more foreign policy chest thumping, and more cuts to social programs that already have been cut almost to the bone.
williebkind
May 23rd, 2012
9:57 am
‘If we rank spending increases for presidential budgets since 1980, it looks like this:”
This is a non issue and a poor attempt of deception. The republicans had to build armies to protect our freedom and the liberals disband them and used the funding to promote freebies to their voting groups. Clinton downsized the military drastically. Completely destroyed the intelligence fields! Then Bin Laden unleashed his terror during the Bush administration due to the intelligence downgrade by Clinton. Yes the liberals surely cost the incoming Presidents a lot more money. However I can not get over Obama ramming down my throat obamacare with payoffs and behind closed doors. Not much cooperation on the liberal’s side there huh. I live in a conservative state and it will remain conservative.
Bob Leblah
May 23rd, 2012
9:57 am
Peter what does that have to do with what I’m saying. How much money has been printed in the last 4 years?
C from Marietta
May 23rd, 2012
9:58 am
Facts? Hardly, Federal spending for 2012 is expected to be 6 trillion up 800 billion. My source the US government. Lazy journalism again Jay!
Verbal Kint
May 23rd, 2012
9:59 am
1. For the first time in history, our AAA credit rating has been downgraded.
2. This is the slowest recovery from a recession since the Great Depression.
3. President Obama presided over the largest peace time economic stimulus in history.
4. Federal debt is increasing at the fastest rate in history.
5. No president before Obama had an annual federal deficit even approaching $1 trillion; Obama has not had a deficit below $1 trillion.
6. In April 2012, we had 40 straight months of federal deficit spending. The longest prior streak was 11 months.
7. Despite rhetoric to the contrary, corporate welfare (subsidies, tax breaks, bailouts, etc.) has increased dramatically from the $92 billion per year level it was at when Obama took office. Green energy spending alone quadrupled to over $18 billion.
8. Federal debt has exceeded Gross Domestic Product for the first time since 1947. We now join only six other nations with this distinction: Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Japan.
9. At 24%, federal spending as a portion of GDP is at its highest level since 1946. (OECD estimates combined federal, state and local spending is a whopping 41% of GDP.)
10. During Obama’s first 26 months in office, regulatory burden has increased by $38 billion. The number and cost of regulations is the largest for such a time period in history.
11. In March 2012, it was reported that new business start ups hit an all-time low.
12. The number of taxpayers who actually pay federal income tax reached 49%. Data going back to 1950 indicates this is a record low.
13. For the first time Treasury officials know of, private parties received priority over the federal government in a bankruptcy (the restructuring of the Solyndra loan).
14. The dollar fell to a record low against the Japanese yen.
15. In 2012, the U.S. dropped to tenth place on the Index of Economic Freedom, our lowest ranking since 1995, when the index was first calculated.
16. With other nations dropping their corporate tax rates, the U.S. had the highest corporate tax rate in the world in March 2012.
17. Unemployment remained above 9% and above 8% for the longest periods of time since the Great Depression.
18. Median length of unemployment is more than twice as high as it has been at any time in the past 50 years.
19. High school drop outs over age 25 are particularly vulnerable when it comes to employment. The 38 worst months of unemployment for this group have all come under the Obama administration.
20. The misery index (unemployment plus inflation) reached its highest level since 1983.
21. The percentage of the population that held a job hit 45.4%, down from a peak of 49.3% in 2000, the lowest level since 1983.
22. In 2010, 66.8% of men held a job, the lowest level ever recorded.
23. The number of people unemployed, marginally attached to the labor force, or working part-time rather than full-time has reached an unprecedented 26 million.
24. Unemployment by age group records were first kept in 1948 and unemployment among young adults (ages 18 to 29) is the highest on record.
25. Labor force participation has dropped to a 29-year low (63.7%), after a record one-month drop of 1.2 million people in January 2012. In March 2012 the number of people not in the labor force hit an all-time high of 88 million.
26. State and local governments have shed over half a million jobs, most of them since the end of the recession in 2009. State and local government job statistics have been kept since 1955 and this is the worst decline on record.
27. More people are on food stamps than ever.
28. Nearly half of all households has at least one person receiving federal benefits.
29. Direct federal payments to individuals increased a staggering 32% during the first three years of Obama’s administration.
30. Government transfer payments make up over 18% of all monies received by individuals, an all-time record.
31. The number of people receiving Social Security disability benefits increased 10% in Obama’s first two years.
32. The poverty rate is the highest since 1993.
33. The Heritage Foundation Dependency Index, a measure of dependency on government, has taken its biggest 2-year increase since the Carter Administration and is at an all-time high. In 2010, for the first time the per capita government spending on dependence programs exceeded per capita disposable income. Only about 20% of this rise can be attributed to the economic downturn.
34. Personal wealth declined $8.7 trillion from 2009 to 2011, the largest decline in history.
35. Household income has shrunk by 10% during Obama’s presidency, most of that coming after the end of the recession.
36. Disposable income, an indicator of standard of living, has been tracked for 50 years. It has dropped 4% in the past three years, the worst decline on record.
37. The percentage of young adults living with their parents is at the highest level since the 1950′s.
38. During the Obama administration there have been a record 5.4 million disability claims, a number that is more than twice the total of new jobs created.
39. Average annual family health care premiums topped $15000 for the first time ever.
40. Outstanding student loans hit record levels and are on pace to top $1 trillion this year.
41. The average annual gasoline expense was $4155 in 2011. This is the largest portion of household income spent on gasoline in over 30 years.
42. In 2012, gasoline prices hit their highest winter level ever.
43. In March 2012, a Washington Post/ABC poll found 50% of respondents disapproved strongly of President Obama’s handling of the economy, an all time record.
44. Home values have experienced their worst decline since the Great Depression.
45. Home ownership has seen its largest decline since the Great Depression.
46. In the first quarter of 2012, the home ownership rate dropped to 65.4%, the lowest in 15 years.
47. Home foreclosures hit a record pace.
48. New home sales were first recorded 50 years ago and they reached their lowest level ever in 2011.
49. Existing home sales are on pace to be the lowest level since record keeping began in 1950.
50. Housing starts reached record lows.
51. Regional and strip mall vacancies hit 9.4%, an all-time high since record-keeping began in 2000.
52. In 2011, U.S. airlines had the fewest flights since 9/11, signifying a broad and pervasive industry downturn.
53. For the first time since the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a president has engaged in hostilities without seeking congressional approval. Obama is also the first president to engage in hostilities without seeking or receiving any form of congressional approval.
54. When Obama sent troops to central Africa, he engaged the U.S. in an unprecedented four simultaneous theaters of conflict.
55. Obama is the first president to order and carry out the assassination of a U.S. citizen.
56. Opinion polling in Muslim countries indicates in most of them approval of the U.S. has declined during the Obama administration.
57. Education achievement scores dropped across the board in 2011 and reading is now at the lowest level since 1972.
58. The Obama administration has deported undocumented immigrants at a record pace.
59. In 2012, the Pew Hispanic Center found a net outflow of Mexican immigrants from the U.S. This is the largest reversal in people moving across the U.S.-Mexico border since the Great Depression.
60. A 2012 report indicated that DOJ criminal prosecutions for securities and bank fraud were at a 20 year low.
61. Refusals of Freedom of Information Act requests jumped 50% under Obama.
62. Barack Obama has received more Wall Street campaign contributions than any politician over the past 20 years.
63. The 2010 elections saw record-level losses for Obama’s Democrats in Congress, state legislatures, and state governorships.
64. For the first time in memory, large numbers of protestors on both the political left and right have been motivated to take to the streets.
65. In 2011 the U.S. dropped to 24th, two places from the previous year, in the Transparency International perceived corruption index.
66. 2011 saw a record number of medication shortages in the U.S.
67. According to the book “Throw Them All Out”, the alternative energy loans and grants portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act may be the largest example of crony capitalism in U.S. history.
68. With Keystone XL, Obama became the first president to ever block a pipeline project.
69. A record 19 journalists and media executives have joined the White House or groups that support President Obama.
70. In 2011 a record number of Americans renounced their U.S. citizenship.
71. In 2012, only 33% had a favorable view of the federal government, a 15-year low.
72. Obama has had more re-election campaign fundraisers than all presidents since Nixon combined. He is the only president to visit all election battleground states during his first year in office.
mm
May 23rd, 2012
9:59 am
“He’s had 4 years to overturn Bush’s bad policies and hasn’t.”
I believe you forgot about the House and Senate (filibuster anyone?).
Joe Hussein Mama
May 23rd, 2012
9:59 am
Brosephus — “That’s hilarious… P-Funk designated as a “threat”…. ”
It’s like sounding the Civil Defense sirens and activating the Emergency Broadcast System because someone reported an Atomic Dog in the area.
Bow wow wow yippee yo yippee yay
Bow wow yippie yo yippee yay
Finn McCool (The System Isn't Broken; It's Fixed ~ from an Occupy sign)
May 23rd, 2012
9:59 am
A Pakistani doctor who helped the C.I.A. locate Osama Bin Laden with a fake vaccination campaign was convicted of treason and given 33 years in prison, a Pakistani official said.
Pakistanis just don’t have a clue.
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
10:00 am
williebkind .. Funny stuff !!!!!!
The republicans had to build armies to protect our freedom.
Clinton downsized the military drastically. Completely destroyed the intelligence fields! Then Bin Laden unleashed his terror during the Bush administration due to the intelligence downgrade by Clinton.
Funny stuff…….. How about the truth…….Bush was too busy allowing the Bilking of California, to pay attention to what was going on in the Mid east.
All happened under his watch period !
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:00 am
Recon: Jay, it does provide a metric for budget performance that the Democrats don’t want to be measured on.
Why do the Republicans propose and pass budgets in the house that end medicare as we know it and call that courageous and bold? Just because the proposed budgets by Democrats in the House and Obama’s budgets don’t pass? I think it’s MORE courageous and bold for the House Democrats to propose a budget knowing full well Republicans will have a lockstep opposition to it.
ragnar danneskjold
May 23rd, 2012
10:00 am
Phony argument. Every dime Obama spent was a waste – who in his right mind spends a trillion dollars he does not have, on shovel ready jobs that aren’t, and leaves the bills to the next generation? Obama added more debt than every other prior president combined. Only a cultist would buy a suggestion that Obama is “frugal.” Whatamaroon.
Recon 0311 2533
May 23rd, 2012
10:00 am
Off for my road run. I’m certain that when I return this news flash will have been reported everywhere and there will be a huge spike in Obama’s poll numbers.
Talking Head
May 23rd, 2012
10:00 am
$3.58 trillion in spending, that is frugal!
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:01 am
What’s not hilarious is the anti-white mantra that has been exposed on this blog ever since the demographics blog.
So, you’re saying that there’s a lot of self-hating White people posting on this blog, correct? If memory serves me correct, there might be 8 non-White regulars who post here. Damn, just when you think you know it all….
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:01 am
He’s had 4 years to overturn Bush’s bad policies and hasn’t.
Your admission that Bush’s policies, the same ones Romney wants to reignite and go further with, were bad policies.
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
10:01 am
Bob Leblah… if allot of money was printed……..why did they do it ?
Jay
May 23rd, 2012
10:01 am
You’re right, Gordon, spending did jump before Obama took office. But by definition, that was a spending increase before Obama took office, and thus not his “fault.”
A large part of that jump comprised automatic spending increases made necessary by the biggest economic crisis in 80 years. A lot of folks lost their jobs, requiring a huge boost in unemployment benefits. A lot of folks lost their health coverage along with their jobs, so they ended up in Medicaid. A lot of folks lost a lot of income, so they became eligible for food stamps and the earned income tax credit. A lot of folks lost their homes, and turned to federal housing assistance. Etc. Etc.
None of that required a change of law. In most cases, no legislative or administrative changes were made to such programs. But when circumstances changed for tens of millions of Americans, they became eligible for and began to draw upon pre-existing programs to help them through those hard times. And federal spending increased.
Peadawg
May 23rd, 2012
10:01 am
“Implying that Obama is therefore responsible for the entire cost of the tax cuts since their original implementation, correct?” – If you take it that way, so be it.
But I didn’t say that. I’m just tired of all this “but but bush’s policies” bs. Since Obama has been in office, which one of Bush’s big policies (war, medicare D, tax cuts) has he overturned or ended? 0.
Again, $5 Trillion since 2008.
Finn McCool (The System Isn't Broken; It's Fixed ~ from an Occupy sign)
May 23rd, 2012
10:02 am
Verbal kint, how many items in that list are directly a result of Obama’s actions or inactions?
Cal
May 23rd, 2012
10:02 am
On the flip side.
Fuzzy math undermines budget credibility
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
May 23rd, 2012
10:03 am
…ramming down my throat…
I have found that those who complain the most about having something rammed down their throat are the same ones who will swallow anything.
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:03 am
JHM
Be careful with quoting P-Funk. I just found out there is an anti-White mantra all over this blog. I don’t want you hatin’ yourself.
Jay
May 23rd, 2012
10:03 am
If I’m wrong about that Gordon, please specify what major spending increases were authorized under Obama that had not already been authorized under previous presidents.
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
10:03 am
ragnar danneskjold …….really……..Every dime Obama spent was a waste – who in his right mind spends a trillion dollars he does not have, on shovel ready jobs that aren’t, and leaves the bills to the next generation?
Tell us how that Iraq war has worked out, with those “Cost Plus Contracts ” for American’s please !
And if the GOP is soooo good with a budget…..why was there a melt down in America financially at the end of the Bush 8 years ?
Pizzaman
May 23rd, 2012
10:04 am
Now you’ve done it Jay! Gone and confused them with facts. They have a hard enough time trying to comprehend the super pac bull/campaign rhetoric, the facts will just scramble their brains.
Steve Atl
May 23rd, 2012
10:04 am
Jay and Adam will be here for weeks trying to refute all 72 points from @Verbal.
Good luck with that…if I were Jay or Adam…I would just blame Bush or pull the race card.
Peadawg
May 23rd, 2012
10:04 am
“Your admission that Bush’s policies, the same ones Romney wants to reignite and go further with, were bad policies.” – And the same ones Obama have extended might I add.
But, yes you’re correct. Your point?
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:06 am
<i.Off for my road run. I’m certain that when I return this news flash will have been reported everywhere and there will be a huge spike in Obama’s poll numbers.
Too late, it was actually reported in the news yesterday. Jay’s actually riding the coattails of other news outlets. Had you bothered to click on the link Jay provided, you would have seen this information.
Rex Nutting Archives | Email alerts
May 22, 2012, 12:00 a.m. EDT
Obama spending binge never happened
Commentary: Government outlays rising at slowest pace since 1950s
Joe Hussein Mama
May 23rd, 2012
10:06 am
Brosephus — “Be careful with quoting P-Funk. I just found out there is an anti-White mantra all over this blog. I don’t want you hatin’ yourself.”
Nothin’ but love, okay?
I don’t know how big a hit the Atomic Dog was for George Clinton, but it got the hell played out of it at parties when I was still in college. And nobody asked if Mr. Clinton was black or white.
JamVet
May 23rd, 2012
10:06 am
OK, I henceforth will defer on all mountain climbing matters to Sir Jm Hillary.
The man who first summited Stone Mountain from the perilous walk up route, by occasionally straying OFF of the yellow line!
Next, he will regale us with tales of free diving to the bottom of the Marianas Trench…
Jay
May 23rd, 2012
10:07 am
“Obama added more debt than every other prior president combined.”
Oops, they did it again. This time it was Ragnar.
They want to believe it is true, thus it IS true, facts be damned. As I’ve noted before, they live in a political Holo-deck in which imagination creates “reality”.
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:08 am
Peadawg: I reject the notion that a President should just overturn everythign their predecessor did on day one, otherwise they are “in support” of said policies. For one thing, *I* frankly am tired of the idea that the President is somehow a god, perpetuated MOSTLY by thr right, who can just do whatever the hell he wants. This has not been the case AT ALL since Obama became President. The only thing that passed 60-40 with all Democrats for and all Republicans against was the health care law, and even that required some compromises just to make that happen. He has never had “full control” nor should he, nor should any President. That said, he is not the sole person responsible for every policy that exists “under his watch.”
But I would not expect a crowd completely dedicated to bumper sticker slogans like “haven’t passed a budget in X years” or “most spendingest president ever” or “can’t run on his record” to understand that for two reason: 1) the analysis I have presented is based in reality and 2) it takes more than 5 words to explain.
I DO, however, expect YOU to understand such differences, as you are a smart guy. Sometimes you make me wonder if you get those things. I know you do, but you present arguments that make me and others think that you don’t.
Rightwing Troll
May 23rd, 2012
10:08 am
“I’m am still not sure how anyone opposed to bush and his policies can be in favor of Obama, unless you are basing it on something other than policies and job performance??”
I believe that some of Obama’s “support” comes in the form of NOT supporting a candidate who surrounds himself with the very same folks who advised Bush, who comes from a party that can’t even acknowledge the Bushdrunk years, and who advocate for the same policies that drove us off the cliff to begin with…
getalife
May 23rd, 2012
10:08 am
The sad part is even with Americans sick of corrupt congress they will give them a free pass and reelect them and blame our President.
Obama is over
May 23rd, 2012
10:08 am
Jay,
You are simply wrong. You are discussing the RATE of increase and not the AMOUNT of debt. Gordon’s point is that the baseline of spending was established during “emergency” bills like TARP and the stimulus. The bottom line is that Obama has FOUR succesive TRILLION dollar deficits with no plan or budget on how to pay the debt down.No amount of lipstick applied to that pig will make her acceptable to the American public despite what Debbie Wasserman Schultz says. Obama has been in charge of the weakest recovery (out of 11) in 60 years according to an op-ed piece by Harvey Golub in the WSJ. Uncertainty about the cost of Obamacare, tax increases on both individuals and businesses, a hostile business approach to business, and a focus on wealth redistribution has created an environment of mediocrity that prevents people from investing in the future. The fact that we have had a 0% Fed funds target for three years and GDP is growing at less than 2% is really embarrasing for Obama. The true test of the administration is not how much he spent, but how he spent it. His so-called investments have been dismal failures. I am sure someone will say that handing over ownership of GM to the UAW at taxpayer expense was a great success, but at some point the American public is going to get sick of paying for projects that merely line the pockets of Obama campaign supporters.
St Simons - official approver of E Warren's cheekbones
May 23rd, 2012
10:09 am
Get out the Village People costume.
I can retire now and become a professional Indian.
I see more & more Democats making it in my field than evah.
Republicans can’t pass the exams. They don’t understand Revenue.
Willful ignorance doesn’t count.
Rightwing Troll
May 23rd, 2012
10:09 am
Unhinged…
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:11 am
JHM
It’s all love, bro!!
George still knows how to get them rockin’ too. I think it would be cool as hell to have him as your grandfather. Most people only know Clinton for Atomic Dog as I think that was the first song he had that charted on all charts, but he’s a living legend in the hood.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
May 23rd, 2012
10:11 am
Obama has been in charge of the weakest recovery (out of 11) in 60 years according to an op-ed piece by Harvey Golub in the WSJ.
11 what?
Recessions?
How many of those recessions were credit based?
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:11 am
Jay and Adam will be here for weeks trying to refute all 72 points from @Verbal.
I would be willing to bet I would find that same list via Google on a talking point disseminating website/blog.
As such, I would also be willing to bet it was copied and pasted, with little to no understanding of the content by the poster, after a quick Google search of their own in an attempt to look like they know what they are talking about OR perhaps to collect some money from the right wing groups that are sending people out to argue on liberal blogs.
As such, there is no point whatsoever to me even reading the whole list, much less responding to its content.
Short version: Dude’s on my ignore list. Have a nice day.
Joe Hussein Mama
May 23rd, 2012
10:12 am
O is O — “You are simply wrong. You are discussing the RATE of increase and not the AMOUNT of debt.”
And yet that has been PRECISELY the defense offered up by Republican lawmakers for their deficit spending FOR YEARS.
Suddenly you decide that it’s an excuse, not a defense? So where were you during the Bush administration, when Dick Cheney was saying the SAME DAMN THING?
Talking Head
May 23rd, 2012
10:13 am
With the current Euro Zone situation, I think we can expect not only a more sluggish economy than now, but another ‘recession’ is on it’s way.
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:13 am
Peadawg: And the same ones Obama have extended might I add.
But, yes you’re correct. Your point?
That Romney would love to continue and expand bad policies. Obama has ended some, diminished others, and kept others in place. You seem to argue he is deliberately doing all of the above. I don’t think so. But even if true, who’s doing the better job? The guy who partially ends bad policy, or the guy who wants to make things even worse? THAT is my point.
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:13 am
You are discussing the RATE of increase and not the AMOUNT of debt. Gordon’s point is that the baseline of spending was established during “emergency” bills like TARP and the stimulus.
Obama is over
That’s not entirely correct either. Go to the actual Market Watch posting that Jay referenced. You will see that under Bush’s first term, his spending increased more than 7% than his predecessor. That would mean that his spending skyrocketed long before the economy collapsed and TARP was even thought of.
getalife
May 23rd, 2012
10:13 am
How in the world do you think they can get a deal to stop the drastic cuts to bring us back to a recession (the cbo warns) or balance our budget if the gop can’t compromise?
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:14 am
You are discussing the RATE of increase and not the AMOUNT of debt
Yeah! Why aren’t you talking about how comic books cost more today too! They used to be 5 cents!
if Romney believes the government doesnt create wealth why does he want the top government job
May 23rd, 2012
10:15 am
wow this will make repubs angry
joe
May 23rd, 2012
10:15 am
Obama the most incompetent president since Ike
St Simons - official approver of E Warren's cheekbones
May 23rd, 2012
10:15 am
ajc should have a wingnut email cut-n-paste blog.
and while you’re at it, ajc, just go ahead & print/post the transcripts from
the AM radio shows. It saves a lot of typing.
Mary Elizabeth
May 23rd, 2012
10:15 am
Moderate Line, 9:41
“Now, I find it hard to blame FDR for not predicting the affects of demographics on a program he started in the 30’s. Keep in mind I think President’s have somewhat limited control over the economy.”
========================================
Moderate Line, although I am not trained in economics, I do know that – even with the so-called entitlements of Medicare and Social Security (which I prefer to call part of FDR’s Second Bill of Rights for all Americans) – at the end of Bill Clinton’s administration, the U. S. had a surplus not a deficit. I, also, believe Paul Krugman’s assessment (”The Bankruptcy Boys, 2/22/10, NY Times) that the Bush administration deliberately drove up the deficit in order to dismantle these “entitlements” for the American people.
“Deliberately drove up the deficit.”
“Deliberately started a War in Iraq (from where the U.S. was not attacked).”
What kind of people do these things with their power? The American people MUST wake up to how they have been manipulated and hurt. The decade of the 2000s were horrible ones for the average American. Please vote for President Obama in November. He has been fervently trying to overcome these problems laid upon him, and upon the American people, by those who have looked after their own interests, primarily, imo.
Moderate Line, this post has ended up being more to the readers than to you, it seems.
To you, I simply would say, please listen to the Bruce Bartlett interview in the link I gave about 9:42. Bartlett will explain the details of the deficit’s causes to you better than I can.
And, Moderate Line, normally, presidents probably do not have that much influence on the economy. But because of the extreme ideological fervor (Grover Norquist comes to mind.) and deep financial self-interests of those within the Bush administration, the Bush presidency reached beyond a typical presidency, in my opinion.
Joe Hussein Mama
May 23rd, 2012
10:15 am
Brosephus — “Most people only know Clinton for Atomic Dog as I think that was the first song he had that charted on all charts, but he’s a living legend in the hood.”
I’ve actually seen Mr. Clinton speak in public, but I’ve (regrettably) never seen him or P-Funk play live. I hear their live shows give you your money’s worth, tho.
FWIW, I actually knew who Bootsy Collins was *long* before I knew who George Clinton was. Collins is a legendary bassist who’s well known across many pop genres.
Peadawg
May 23rd, 2012
10:15 am
“I reject the notion that a President should just overturn everythign their predecessor did on day one, otherwise they are “in support” of said policies”
All I see is his signature on the tax cut extensions and now we’re in still in Afghanistan a year or so after getting OBL (i.e. overstaying our welcome…kind of like Bush w/ Iraq).
I’ve said it since day 1 that Obama is Bush-lite. Bush, Romney, Obama…what’s the difference? IF Hillary is the vice president, I may vote for Obama. Otherwise I’m writing her name in.
JamVet
May 23rd, 2012
10:16 am
Obama the most incompetent president since Ike George (W)orst Ever Bush…
Own it joe, you voted for him.
Twice.
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:16 am
Ok, I guess I should get back to work. After all this would be one of those days I might ACTUALLY get in trouble.
Quick! Backtrace my IP and make me PAY!
Joe Hussein Mama
May 23rd, 2012
10:16 am
joe — “Obama the most incompetent president since Ike”
Give me all the Eisenhower incompetence you’ve got, then.
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
10:17 am
Peadwg: All I see is his signature on the tax cut extensions and now we’re in still in Afghanistan a year or so after getting OBL (i.e. overstaying our welcome…kind of like Bush w/ Iraq).
Oh, so that’s all he did? The rest were vacation days?
Ok, really getting back to work now.
Generation$crewed
May 23rd, 2012
10:18 am
Peter
May 23rd, 2012
9:56 am
Then point to me which Bush programs Obama has cancelled which spending cuts has he made.
Since your argument is it was all done to prevent… Then since both have spent at around the same rate, what was it Obama cut in order to increase the spending he needed to. Unles your argument is just BS. Seems you like you some 3rd term of Bush!
Adam
May 23rd, 2012
9:57 am
So you support Obama because he carries on the Bush policies, spending and tax cuts.
But you oppose his opponent because he says he will continue those policies you claim?
Look words are one thing but Obama’s actions are different from his words. Maybe you believe words and not actions
St Simons - official approver of E Warren's cheekbones
May 23rd, 2012
10:18 am
“..but he’s a living legend in the hood.”
he’s a living legend everywhere, dude. righteous. word.
Tundra Dude
May 23rd, 2012
10:19 am
Obama the most incompetent president since Ike
Right! He should imitate Ike by restoring the Top tax rate to 91%.
JamVet
May 23rd, 2012
10:19 am
Who, in their right mind could ever forget?
Bow wow wow
Yippee yo
Yippee yeah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuyS9M8T03A
straitroad
May 23rd, 2012
10:19 am
Jay, Are you referring to the budgets Obama submitted that were voted down without even a single democrat vote? By the way, it was probably easier to increase spending during Reagan’s economy because of the job creation and growth during that era.
Soothsayer
May 23rd, 2012
10:20 am
I have posted this graph before — possibly in a different format — but it bears seeing again. This, my friends, is what’s wrong with our Country. This is why millions are out of work. This is why our housing collapsed. This is why millions live on government assistance. And, this is why we have $Trillion+ deficits. But, don’t worry, multinational corporations are making more money than ever selling us cheap crap that we naively lap up. Take a good look.
Peadawg
May 23rd, 2012
10:20 am
“Oh, so that’s all he did? The rest were vacation days?” LOL wut?
“Ok, really getting back to work now.” – You must be under the misconception that you can tell me what to do. Bless your heart.
BB
May 23rd, 2012
10:20 am
Probably better to look at the net amount rather than spending increases. I know S&P would like to see us spend less. It’s not frugal to spend money that you don’t have.
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:21 am
JHM
I learned Bootsy’s name from playing with George. Going back and reading up on his history, you find that he and his brother, Catfish, were responsible for James Brown’s sound in the early 70’s and were part of the original “JB’s”.
Paul
May 23rd, 2012
10:23 am
” A lot of folks lost their jobs, requiring a huge boost in unemployment benefits. A lot of folks lost their health coverage along with their jobs, so they ended up in Medicaid. A lot of folks lost a lot of income, so they became eligible for food stamps and the earned income tax credit. A lot of folks lost their homes, and turned to federal housing assistance. Etc. Etc.”
And for ‘permitting’ existing law to take place and help out people whose lives were sent skidding into the gutter, Republicans condemn Pres Obama?
Did I read that right?
Paul
May 23rd, 2012
10:26 am
Obama is Over
You are simply wrong. You are discussing the RATE of increase and not the AMOUNT of debt.”
Translation: the facts don’t support what I want to think so they’re wrong. The facts that I want to believe are amounts not discounted (adjusted for time, a dollar today is worth a different amount than a dollar 40 years ago), with no consideration for the fact that amounts include mandated programs in place for decades.
Gordon
May 23rd, 2012
10:27 am
Jay,
I’m not arguing that the spending increases just before Obama took office weren’t necessary, I’m saying it is bogus for you to say that normalizing that high amount and then saying “Look, Obama isn’t increasing spending!!”. He started from an unprecendented high point. It is like gorging yourself just before you start a diet so that you look better once the diet starts.
Also, another question is what would Obama be spending if he could spend what he wanted? The only thing between us and a LOT more spending is the small majority in the House and the constitutionality of the Health Care plan. Obama is being somewhat muzzled at this point.
Look at the 9:48 post. That doesn’t sound like someone who cares a whit about government spending to me. Where is the leadership? Where are the unpopular cuts that we know are needed?
Explain to me and your other readers how Obama has shown leadership in controlling spending?
It takes a lot of nerve to come on here and say Obama is frugal.
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:27 am
St. Simons @ 10:18
True…. Can’t argue that.
Joe Hussein Mama
May 23rd, 2012
10:27 am
Brosephus — “Going back and reading up on his history, you find that he and his brother, Catfish, were responsible for James Brown’s sound in the early 70’s and were part of the original “JB’s”.
That’s where I first learned of Bootsy Collins, from his time backing James Brown. I seem to recall that there were other players who spent time in both P-Funk and in James Brown’s band; wasn’t Maceo Parker in both as well?
Mark in mid-town
May 23rd, 2012
10:27 am
Typical misleading nonsense. Relative to the size of the economy, spending has gone way up. As well, one of the tricks the leftists have learned is to have the cost of their mandates absorbed by the private sector, rather than the government sector. Thus, they’re able to greatly increase the size and scope of government, all the while claiming that government spending has not gone up.
Paul
May 23rd, 2012
10:31 am
Gordon
” He started from an unprecendented high point”
If that’s bogus, can you please tell us the last time an incoming president took over a budget that was not higher than the previous budget?
Or which president ended his term with a budget that was less than when he assumed office?
It’s not ‘unprecedented.’
It’s entirely normal.
Jack
May 23rd, 2012
10:31 am
If you read Obama’s healthcare debacle, you’ll see that his attempt to make everything “fair”, is going to be paid for by those who don’t rely on handouts. He doesn’t care about spending or not spending, he only cares about burnishing his image. Our host has said that my opinion is based on a pre-conceived bias. And he’s right; I have never liked a party that gets elected with promises of eliminating inequities.
Brosephus™ - "Browning America Since 1973"
May 23rd, 2012
10:31 am
I’m saying it is bogus for you to say that normalizing that high amount and then saying “Look, Obama isn’t increasing spending!!”. He started from an unprecendented high point.
How else would you do it then? Each president that comes in does not start with the same budget amount at the beginning of their term. There is no official starting amount. Each administration is based on their predecessor. Each president has basically came in the same way as the one before them. I don’t think any recent president has left office spending less than what they spent when they first started. I understand the point you’re trying to make, but you’ve just mounted your goalposts on the back of Capt. Kirk’s chair.