Re:The U.S. government is set to borrow nearly $1 trillion t...
by thephyber on Sunday February 04, 2018 @01:53AM
(#16301701)
(1) The president doesn't control "the purse", only Congress does (even when it delegates that power to The Executive).
(2) The economy and the federal government were already at all-time highs. Proportionately speaking[1]:
* Reagan increased the debt by 186% in 8 years,
* George HW Bush increased it by 54% in 4 years,
* Clinton increased it 32% in 8 years,
* George W Bush by 101% in 8 years, and
* Obama by 68% in 7 years (article not updated to include his last year)
(3) Most federal spending is allocated towards non-discretionary expenses (Social Security and MediCare) and Obama can't any more than Trump can (which is to say they neither can nor will). The growth of health care costs has far outpaced inflation in the USA for 30+ years now
(4) The baby boomer generation began retiring during Obama's tenure, which no other president had to deal with
(2) The economy and the federal government were already at all-time highs. Proportionately speaking[1]:
(3) Most federal spending is allocated towards non-discretionary expenses (Social Security and MediCare) and Obama can't any more than Trump can (which is to say they neither can nor will). The growth of health care costs has far outpaced inflation in the USA for 30+ years now(4) The baby boomer generation began retiring during Obama's tenure, which no other president had to deal with
[1] https://www.thebalance.com/us-debt-by-president-by-dollar-an...