Deficit already doubles under Trump

[JeffreyS]

So Bush leaves about a 9% annual deficit, Obama leaves it at about 1.5% then boom another Republican in the office and we are already back at 4% and soaring. Same old pattern.  (Note the very conservative source).



https://thehill.com/policy/finance/410177-deficit-soars-to-782-billion-in-2018

[Kiva]

Republicans no longer care about the deficit. That was a way to attack Obama. Now that Trump is in office they are very quiet. Deficits are now a good thing!

[BridgeTroll]

Apparently republican politicians don't care about deficits... disgraceful. 

[JeffreyS]

Apparently republican politicians don't care about deficits... disgraceful. 

The thing is those Republican politicians haven't cared about debt for a long long time and I admit I can't figure out how they keep making fools of conservative voters who do care about this issue.  I know that is a bit of a barb but I really do want to know how they win on this issue.  It goes back even farther Carter brought it down from Ford and then Regan immediately pushed it up and Bush 1 pushed it up even more.  How do they convince people over and over they care about debt? 

[Adam White]

Apparently republican politicians don't care about deficits... disgraceful. 

The thing is those Republican politicians haven't cared about debt for a long long time and I admit I can't figure out how they keep making fools of conservative voters who do care about this issue.  I know that is a bit of a barb but I really do want to know how they win on this issue.  It goes back even farther Carter brought it down from Ford and then Regan immediately pushed it up and Bush 1 pushed it up even more.  How do they convince people over and over they care about debt? 

Republican politicians care as much about fiscal responsibility as much as democratic politicians care about the poor. If either base doesn't recognize that, they are dumb as rocks.

Of course they don't recognize that.

[JeffreyS]

Apparently republican politicians don't care about deficits... disgraceful. 

The thing is those Republican politicians haven't cared about debt for a long long time and I admit I can't figure out how they keep making fools of conservative voters who do care about this issue.  I know that is a bit of a barb but I really do want to know how they win on this issue.  It goes back even farther Carter brought it down from Ford and then Regan immediately pushed it up and Bush 1 pushed it up even more.  How do they convince people over and over they care about debt? 

Republican politicians care as much about fiscal responsibility as much as democratic politicians care about the poor. If either base doesn't recognize that, they are dumb as rocks.

Ok so for this debate I stipulate to your point.  So why do so many not "dumb as rocks" conservatives vote for the GOP on this issue?

[JeffreyS]

I think that is part of it but that is never the way I hear it.  I just was speaking to someone who told he thinks that GOP voters that somehow cutting the Government's revenue (taxes) will somehow stimulate the economy enough to cover the lost revenue.  Which I guess I can understand because if that ever worked how great that would be.

[JeffreyS]

Fair point.

[Kiva]

Republican politicians care as much about fiscal responsibility as much as democratic politicians care about the poor. If either base doesn't recognize that, they are dumb as rocks.

Well, some democratic politicians care about the poor. Why else would they push for an increase in the minimum wage? Although I agree with you that Republican politicians do not care about fiscal responsibility!

[BridgeTroll]

Apparently republican politicians don't care about deficits... disgraceful. 

The thing is those Republican politicians haven't cared about debt for a long long time and I admit I can't figure out how they keep making fools of conservative voters who do care about this issue.  I know that is a bit of a barb but I really do want to know how they win on this issue.  It goes back even farther Carter brought it down from Ford and then Regan immediately pushed it up and Bush 1 pushed it up even more.  How do they convince people over and over they care about debt? 

Well... some republican politicians care about deficits...  Who on either side votes based on a single issue?  You are well aware the "base" voters on each side vote party over results every time... it certainly isnt a "republican" thing...

[JeffreyS]

My point is that I believe Republican voters care about deficits and by in large GOP politicians don't. I think lots of people vote single issue abortion , climate change and immigration come to mind. However I am just wondering how the GOP wins on this issue.  ( IMO they do) I think Matt makes a good point on the what the money is spent on may be more of f a factor and conservatives say debt but mean something else. I also think  bit of wishful thinking about tax cuts and the belief in markets in general tend to out weigh the evidence. I should say those are not long held beliefs but where this examination I have been pondering is leading me.  Now obviously you are correct that right now more people vote party over everything else. Do yo think the GOP wins on this issue BT and if so why?

[I-10east]

(Note the very conservative source).



https://thehill.com/policy/finance/410177-deficit-soars-to-782-billion-in-2018

Sure on paper The Hill is 'very conservative" but they actually have like a 50/50 split between conservative and liberal columnists (in fact, more liberal wiki page columnists than conservative). At this point, I would call The Hill 'bipartisan'. I definitely wouldn't say that the author of this article is all entrenched within 'the conservative camp' by no means.

Like I said in the past, the entire US political realm has shifted leftward gradually over the past 20 years. The current conservatives are basically the old school democrats of the 90s (with a pro gun caveat), and the left has went farther and father leftward, into the weird land of socialism and SJW San Fran politics (many abandoning the old neoliberal style politics).

[I-10east]

The site factcheck.org (who call itself non partisan, link below) has a generally very rosy depiction of Obama's presidency overall (some info I would definitely question) stated concerning the debt "The federal debt owed to the public rose 128 percent. Deficits were rising as Obama departed". So to say that Obama left this ultra low deficit, and then the evil Trump gets in there and the deficit suddenly skyrockets all because of him is complete hogwash.

It's funny that Obama tried to claim the booming Trump economy (even though his unfriendly business policies did not correlate). Do he get to claim this deficit also?? It can't be both ways, that's all that I'm saying. Consumer confidence, US manufacturing, and jobs has risen dramatically under this current administration, that cannot be denied.

https://www.factcheck.org/2017/09/obamas-final-numbers/

[vicupstate]

The site factcheck.org (who call itself non partisan, link below) has a generally very rosy depiction of Obama's presidency overall (some info I would definitely question) stated concerning the debt "The federal debt owed to the public rose 128 percent. Deficits were rising as Obama departed". So to say that Obama left this ultra low deficit, and then the evil Trump gets in there and the deficit suddenly skyrockets all because of him is complete hogwash.

It's funny the Obama tried to claim the booming Trump economy (even though his unfriendly business policies did not correlate). Do he get to claim this deficit also?? It can't be both ways, that's all that I'm saying. Consumer confidence, US manufacturing, and jobs his risen dramatically under this current administration, that cannot be denied.

https://www.factcheck.org/2017/09/obamas-final-numbers/

You might want to check your own link. Profits increased dramatically under Obama, as your link shows, despite the 'unfriendly business policies' you complain about.  While deficits increased in Obama's last two years, it fell each of the prior six years.

U.S. Manufacturing has risen steadily every year since 2010. It is not a new phenomenon.

https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES3000000001

   

[DrQue]

Further increasing budget deficits this far along in the economic cycle is not very prudent in and of itself. We're also doing this in a rising interest rate environment, so it is going to cost more to service the higher debt loads.