Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

applegrove

(118,703 posts)
Wed Mar 11, 2015, 10:51 PM Mar 2015

Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama?

Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/24/who-is-the-smallest-government-spender-since-eisenhower-would-you-believe-its-barack-obama/

"SNIP...............

It’s enough to make even the most ardent Obama cynic scratch his head in confusion.

Amidst all the cries of Barack Obama being the most prolific big government spender the nation has ever suffered, Marketwatch is reporting that our president has actually been tighter with a buck than any United States president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Who knew?

...............

So, how have the Republicans managed to persuade Americans to buy into the whole “Obama as big spender” narrative?

It might have something to do with the first year of the Obama presidency where the federal budget increased a whopping 17.9% —going from $2.98 trillion to $3.52 trillion. I’ll bet you think that this is the result of the Obama sponsored stimulus plan that is so frequently vilified by the conservatives…but you would be wrong.



...............SNIP"
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama? (Original Post) applegrove Mar 2015 OP
And heads explode on the right. applegrove Mar 2015 #1
k&r... spanone Mar 2015 #2
In times of economic crisis and rampant unemployment, Maedhros Mar 2015 #3
No it is not. There should be government spending during a recession. applegrove Mar 2015 #4
So, we should be happy because, while the Republicans have been accusing Obama Maedhros Mar 2015 #6
We should be happy because there is a scratch in the propaganda applegrove Mar 2015 #8
And what good does the RW and Masters of Universe admitting their propaganda was wrong KoKo Mar 2015 #16
Maybe the masters of the universe will be less likely to follow propaganda on the right in the applegrove Mar 2015 #17
and I like to ask anyone who criticizes this to give me the name of one European country Victor_c3 Mar 2015 #14
and dems are too incompetent at promotion to brag on accomplishments. the GOP is grateful nt msongs Mar 2015 #5
No, it's not a surprise because I've read the reports.. they know how to save money and get rid Cha Mar 2015 #7
which explains why the return to baseline following the formal recession took so many years. ND-Dem Mar 2015 #9
Don't try telling this to conservatives, their gut (facts be damned) tells them Obama is sinking us Snarkoleptic Mar 2015 #10
I guarantee that Fox News will not report this N/T Dpm12 Mar 2015 #11
Duh, and it has been a bad idea. TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #12
So we are the party now for Small Government? RiverLover Mar 2015 #13
would just like to point out that this article is from 5/2012 n/t melm00se Mar 2015 #15
Thanks. Did not catch that. applegrove Mar 2015 #18
 

Maedhros

(10,007 posts)
3. In times of economic crisis and rampant unemployment,
Wed Mar 11, 2015, 11:38 PM
Mar 2015

cranking down government spending - i.e. "austerity measures" - is not helpful.

applegrove

(118,703 posts)
4. No it is not. There should be government spending during a recession.
Wed Mar 11, 2015, 11:54 PM
Mar 2015

But the point is the GOP narrative is falling apart because the truth is poking through. And the truth is Obama is not a spender.

 

Maedhros

(10,007 posts)
6. So, we should be happy because, while the Republicans have been accusing Obama
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:54 AM
Mar 2015

of doing the right thing, they are actually wrong?

applegrove

(118,703 posts)
8. We should be happy because there is a scratch in the propaganda
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:59 AM
Mar 2015

in Forbes magazine. Those masters of the universe may say for one second "hey the narrative I have fed off of for six years is wrong" my side of the debate is not always truthful.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
16. And what good does the RW and Masters of Universe admitting their propaganda was wrong
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:59 AM
Mar 2015

do for the people who have suffered "Austerity" under "Quantative Easing (QE)" to bail out the big banks on Wall Street?

That's a bitter pill to swallow, dontcha think?

applegrove

(118,703 posts)
17. Maybe the masters of the universe will be less likely to follow propaganda on the right in the
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:59 PM
Mar 2015

future. Or to donate money. Or to spread hate.

Victor_c3

(3,557 posts)
14. and I like to ask anyone who criticizes this to give me the name of one European country
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:38 AM
Mar 2015

that saw economic recovery come faster as a result of an austerity spending measure.

The answer is none of them.

Cha

(297,336 posts)
7. No, it's not a surprise because I've read the reports.. they know how to save money and get rid
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:57 AM
Mar 2015

of waste.

But, of course the republicons and other whiners say he's a big spending Dem and whatever other reasons they have for whinging about him..

Mahalo apple~

Snarkoleptic

(5,998 posts)
10. Don't try telling this to conservatives, their gut (facts be damned) tells them Obama is sinking us
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 08:32 AM
Mar 2015

with food stamps, unemployment comp, a bloated and unnecessary Postal Service, public pensions, foreign aid and various other bugaboos.

http://zfacts.com/p/318.html


So we will ask, “What if Reagan and the Bushes had balanced their own budgets?” And what if Clinton and Obama had taxed the same and spent the same as they actually did?

The answer is that the National Debt would now be lower by $13.5 trillion! So that’s the Republican National Debt — according to their own standard of balanced budgets.

It’s quite easy to check these calculations (see this spreadsheet). They go like this: When Reagan took office the debt was $1 trillion. When he left it was $2.86 trillion. So $1.86 trillion for him. Then Bush-I added $1.55 trillion. Total so far: $3.4 trillion. Then Clinton took over.

TheKentuckian

(25,026 posts)
12. Duh, and it has been a bad idea.
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:21 AM
Mar 2015

I wish more energy was out into what is right for the people of the country instead of worrying about what the stupid, wrong, and the enemies of peace and prosperity are going to be going on about.

The biggest down turn since the depression and people are cheering reducing spending? Stupid.

When are folks going to process the TeaPubliKlans are fucking wrong and not to be emulated or complied with because doing so means we'd also be fucking nuts.

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
13. So we are the party now for Small Government?
Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:33 AM
Mar 2015

When did that happen? And why is it a good thing?

Wish our defense spending was down along with everything else. Or at least transferred to things like infrastructure, schools, or food stamps.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Who Is The Smallest Gover...