Congress controls spending and thus the national debt, not the president.
By Taskr36
@Taskr36 (13963)
United States
November 3, 2010 8:44am CST
I know many people want to believe that the president is to blame for everything, and Bush got blamed for the out of control spending over the 8 years he was in office. People love to pretend that republicans controlled both houses during all that time, but the more educated among us know that isn't true. Republicans controlled both houses from 1994 to 2006 with a tiny gap when Jeffords switched parties. In the 12 years republicans controlled both houses the national debt increased by $3.8 trillion, $2.8 trillion of that during the 6 years they controlled both houses under Bush.
Then Democrats, led by Pelosi and Reid got both houses in 2006. In the 4 years that they've controlled both houses the national debt has increased by $5 trillion with $3.5 trillion of that happening during the two years that they controlled both houses under Obama.
Now both parties have royally screwed us in more ways than we can count, but the debt is the easiest to quantify based on numbers. We've already established that Republicans were not fiscally responsible, but why do democrats somehow think that they're better when they've done far worse and their actions since 2006 led to a recession in 2008 that they have prolonged for the last 2 years with their rampant spending?
3 people like this
7 responses
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
3 Nov 10
The numbers speak for themselves. No, the Republicans were not tight and stingy with taxpayer money, never does Congress show the respect for other people's money that they should as those entrusted to spend it wisely should do. But I think you can lay some of the new debt directly at Obama's feet, for it's money he asked his Democratic Congress to spend. They did it all for him. From the stimulus to the health care bill, Congress approved the spending of money and the increasing of the national debt in order to please their president. While it's true that not much gets done when you have opposing parties in the White House and Congress, what most people don't recognize is that this is a good thing. The less the do, the better off we are.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
4 Nov 10
Catseyes you poor, poor man. Roosevelt PROLONGED the Great Depression. I'm still baffled at how people can call that sick racists a great president when he kept our country in the biggest hole ever for 12 years while imprisoning people based solely on their race. If spending really made things better than you would be cheering for the republicans who spent like drunken sailors.
"If the banks don't lend, employers can't upgrade and hire."
Lol! Lending is what CAUSED this crash. They lent to people who couldn't repay their loans and that destroyed the economy. You can thank ACORN and democrats like Barney Frank for bullying the banks into doing something so stupid.
"Obama tried to get the tax laws changed so that companies who took their businesses to other countries, would not get off scott free by imposing a tax for their products to come into the U.S. Guess what, the Republicans blocked it."
Show me exactly where this happened. With a supermajority in congress democrats had the power to do whatever they wanted. Republicans couldn't block crap.
"it takes about 8-10 yrs to come out of a recession or depression"
Show me TWO recessions in this country that took that long to come out of. It's only happened once and it was BECAUSE of a Democrat who thought that excessive spending would shorten a recession when all it did was prolong it.
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
8 Nov 10
Because the democrats CARE... lol.
At least that is what they try to say. The only thing that they care about is how much power can they grab or the government before they get kicked out again.
It is a cumulative thing with them, they know that once government gets power, it is very difficult for us to take that power away.
They think that they are enlightened and have all the answers and anyone who disagrees with them is just wrong and should be silenced.
In short, they think that they have special dispensation and can do no wrong.
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
3 Nov 10
Well, not just Congress, the Senators and anyone on Capital Hill are responsible for the nation's debt. To be honest, we are all at fault.
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
3 Nov 10
I agree that the Repbulicans were not fiscally responsible, but it seems to me that part of their crazy overspending went to funding a major war effort and the response to hurricane katrina. I do not have cost numbers for those issues and it may not matter to your discussion.
When I look at the obama expenditures, and I do not necessarily fall for the story that global economic collapse was eminent, then I see a lot of money spent to promote their agenda in domestic issues.
When I consider all that went into the failure of the housing market, neither party can avoid the blame.
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
3 Nov 10
Bush, bush bush bush bush - bush bush. Bush bush bush... bush BUSH! Bush, bush bush bush bush bush bush, bush bush bush. Bush bush bush? Bush bush bush. Bush, bush bush, bush bush.
@stardrifter (21)
• United States
4 Nov 10
I can not recite facts and figures. I do listen to the news, and am aware that our economy is suffering. And my understanding is that the people that American Voters have elected to be our Senators, and Legislative Representatives no longer feel that they need to concern themselves with our representation. Once they jump the election hurdle and make it into office, they represent their own personal interests. I would like to see the American Voter unite and come together and tell our Legislators and Senators, that they need a serious pay cut. I don't understand how it is that they get so much money just to be in office. Why do we pay them so much more than they are worth? If we aren't happy with our economic situation, and how our government manages the power we have given them, let's take our power back and protest as one body with one loud voice. Let our officials know we see them and what they do. But that would require some real action and not just complaining. People would have to give up their TV shows etc. to take action and responsibility for what is happening in our great country. Like a big brat kid, the kid is as bad as his parents allow him to behave. Ultimately, we must hold ourselves accountable for the kind of government that we have today.
