When the GOP was in control of Congress, it seemed to do quite well:
GOP control of Congress = declining deficits. Let the Democrats get either chamber, and deficits increase. Get control of both, you get the meltdown that is today.
Note, too, that FY2009 was NOT signed by President Bush - he promised to veto it if Pelosi and Reid sent it to him. And thus they did not pass a budget until February 2009 and President Obama gladly signed it.
While I generally agree with your conclusions, every President has to deal with what comes up and what has developed over the past few years. If Bush had a third term, or McCain had won in 2008, there would have still been a very large deficit due to the housing/finance induced depression. That took many years to develop into it’s full-blown form—maybe 20 to 25.
Nevertheless, Dem congresses and Dem presidents make things worse. I don’t believe that McCain would have gone for a union/government employee directed Porkulus bill, although there would have been significant recession induced stimulus. And, I believe McCain (or Bush if he could have been in office) wouldn’t have gone crazy with job killing and energy killing over-regulation.
While I generally agree with your conclusions, every President has to deal with what comes up and what has developed over the past few years. If Bush had a third term, or McCain had won in 2008, there would have still been a very large deficit due to the housing/finance induced depression. That took many years to develop into it’s full-blown form—maybe 20 to 25.
Nevertheless, Dem congresses and Dem presidents make things worse. I don’t believe that McCain would have gone for a union/government employee directed Porkulus bill, although there would have been significant recession induced stimulus. And, I believe McCain (or Bush if he could have been in office) wouldn’t have gone crazy with job killing and energy killing over-regulation.
Sorry but the financial crash was the Republicans' fault including Bush. They COULD have defunded Freddie and Fannie without the Democrats permission but they chose not to.