The rate of increase of the national debt went down every year Clinton was in office. The rate of increase of the national debt increased every year Bush was in office.

As for the deficit, the Internet bubble caused the positive gain in Clinton's term to settle from a net -290 billion dollars at the end of G.H. Bush's term to a positive +128 billion dollars surplus when Clinton left office. It is true that before the bubble burst, it had been as high as +236 billion surplus. Bush's first term drove it down to a -413 billion dollars, the lowest point ever graphed since 1961 when the subject graph began. He has reportedly reduced this deficit to only -260 billion dollars. It is hard to tell from this graph exactly where the decline from Clinrton's high point began, but the first drop from 236 down to 128 appears to be in late 2000, Bush's watch. This is also supported by the fact that the last number on the chart says Bush's "score" is "-496", the difference between the present deficit of -260, and Clinton's high-water mark of +236 billion.

So I would say it is pretty clear that your boy is a spendthrift.

No armwaving, just read the chart.

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