[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']Anyone that claims Clinton balanced the budget? Here's a question for you.
Where in the Constitution does the President have the right to raise taxes, collect tarrifs or spend money? Anyone? Anyone?
It was a Republican Congress that balanced the budget. All spending bills start in the House Finance Committee. To be fair though the deficit spending and drunken orgy of spreading cash reminiscent of a sailor off the boat in Hong Kong is their fault as much as a balacned budget was to their credit.[/QUOTE]
So, to clarify: the credit for the budget surplus goes to the republicans. The blame for overspending should be equally spread around.
So, we are to assume, then, that the Republicans were more than happy to increase taxes (both in Bush Sr. and Clinton's terms) that, in the absence of such increases, a budget surplus would have been impossible? If you say so.
Perhaps you could tell me why Bush was so despised in 1992 if that was the case.
As far as your postulation, that belongs in another thread; you're merely trolling to set up people for some backwards conversation about conservative fiscal philosophy (which, given the national debt increases through both Reagan's terms, and in the absence of a real life deus ex machina, both Bush Jr. terms, is clearly a failed concept).
As far as economic growth, spending is increasing (this was Defender's point, I believe). That much I cannot argue. I will point out, however, that there *IS* a legitimate gripe behind the credit lobby seeking to change the bankruptcy laws in the nation. That reason? People's spending using credit, as a proportion of their overall spending, is increasing. Additionally, saving is low (though I can't say if it's decreasing, or it's simply given that saving in the US is constantly notoriously low). So, while spending may be increasing, in years we will find that this "economic growth" is an artificial construct, and that people aren't "spending," so much as they're "borrowing." There's a remarkable difference there. To put into finite terms, inflation has increased steadily since the mid-1990's (as inflation always does). OTOH, the median income in the United States has been the same for just as long. There is a clear problem with that.
I hope that, for the sake of human life, Bush's "vision" turns out to be fruitful. If it means that people stop blowing up busses, markets, and United States landmarks, then PLEASE LET ME BE WRONG ABOUT BUSH. However, his vision is clearly provided to him by the profit-minded. Democracy can take a backseat to satisfying the desire for more capital. If you can't grasp the very blatant concept of the military-industrial complex, you probably shouldn't be allowed to discuss politics at all.
ing up until we get a republican president.
