In 2000, the US federal government spent 22 billion more than it took in. Even worse, that figure is based on the spending of all excess revenue taken in under the Social Security program in the year it is received, not the year it is needed. What is actually put back into the Social Security fund is an "IOU". The bustin' open of the "lockbox" was done under the direction of Lyndon Johnson in the1950's. He was Senate leader when Democrats had a majority is both House and Senate.

Again, if the US National Debt goes up in a given year, you have 'deficit spending" by definition.

What Clinton and his supporters call "clever use of words" is usually called lying in Middle America. Clintonian "budget surplus" is not the same as "revenue surplus" even though some try very hard to fool people into believing that it is.

A 'budget surplus' is a 'paper surplus'. The amount of money actually spent causes deficits. This is because the Feds spend what they want and don't feel constrained by the actual budget.

One more point. The Congressional Budget Office is a non-partisan group of government researchers and printers. When asked by a member of Congress to generate a specific document (such as a graph) they do so. Said document will reflect exactly what that Congressman or Senator wants put forth. If the document is false or misleading, the CBO is not responsible. Their job is "do what you are told" not "find the truth".