[icanhasbailout]

So your blaming Reagan.

No I am not. I am simply citing the actual factual data. There are many other potential explanations and it is a gross oversimplification to say everything is the fault of the person who was President at the time.

Observe the following chart:

What you are seeing is the red line, which is GDP change without debt included, and the blue line, which is GDP change attributable to debt. The facts are undeniable - we have gone nowhere economically in three decades.

Experience confirms this. Are you better off than you were three decades ago? If so, you are in the minority.

The blame, in my opinion, lies squarely on purveyors of debt.

[Lazlo in PA]

With your chart, I see a direct correlation between throwing away Bretton Woods in 1971 and making the dollar a fiat currency and things going haywire. I will blame Nixon. I am a proud over-simplifier after all.

[DB]

Factual data?

How is it the rate of debt change collapsed starting with 2007Q1 when in fact it has skyrocketed? Currently 10% of GDP is debt spending - a huge number.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Am I reading the chart wrong or does it not show that GDP was in fact flat clear back to 1953 without debt, and actually grew as debt mounted starting around 1971?

[Justa]

I don’t know who is more full of BS, you or that clown chart.