[Recovering_Democrat]

Clinton got a balanced budget from the Congress at the expense of our military, but his spending in 95 was 20.7% of GDP. Reagan's in 85 was 22.8% of GDP. Dubya's was 19.9% in 05. So far Dubya's budgets have all been smaller in terms of GDP than the Reagan/Bush budgets. The budgets Dubya signed are not much higher than the 18.4% and 18.6% GPD spending of the lowest budgets clinton signed.

Wow, I didn't know that once-Ler. Good points.

[Recovering_Democrat]

BTW, do you have sources for that info? I'd love to use it in a debate w/someone at work.

[Reagan Man]

I wouldn't get too carried away with the percentages of government spending versus GDP. That is mostly used by people who run around making excuses for big government Republicans. The vast majority of the figures posted at OMB.gov are in relative terms to the annual US federal budget. If you analyze the OMB budget numbers, in relation to percentages of spending, you'll see the following.

According to OMB:
Clinton's last budget spent 64.1% on Human Resources, aka. socialwelfare & entitlement programs. Bush spent 65.5% in 2002, 65.6% in 2003, 64.8% 2004, 64.0% 2005, estimate 65.3% in 2006, estimate 66.1% 2007, estimate 66.9% in 2008 and estimate 67.2% in 2009 and 2010. With Bush`s track record those estimates will likely be higher after all is said and done.

When Reagan took office HR spending under Jimmah Carter was 53.4% of the budget. Over the next 8 years under Reagan, that spending was significantly reduced. In 1982= 52.1%, 1983=52.7%, 1984= 50.7%, 1985= 49.9%, 1986= 48.6%, 1987= 50.0%, 1988= 50.1%, 1989= 49.7%.

As you can see, spending on welfare and entitlements went down significantly under Reagan from what they were in the Carter years. Under Bush43, those numbers have gone up and its easy to see why. The Medicare PDP, doubling the federal Education budget and signing off on huge spending boondoggles like the transportation bill, farm bill and engergy bill have made Bush43, in historical terms, the largest spender to ever sit in the Oval Office. Even bigger then Bill Clinton. The facts don't lie.