[parsifal]

Uh,. . .am I stupid or something but it looks to me like the deficit is going up (in red?) during Reagan Bush years, and Bush II years.

parsy, the curious

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Can you send me your raw data? I did an editorial stating the same basic thing, and would love (and would reference) to include your expanded findings. I'll extend my data set in the graph, to take it back to 1980.

Parsifal,

This graph should be quite self-explanatory:

Basically, who is the President is really immaterial, as the budget does not come from the President, but from the Congress. And there is a very high correlation between falling deficits and GOP control of the budgetary process. Letting the Democrats control either (or worse, both) chamber will increase the deficits.