That's pretty good son, did I show you this?
Bush's Spending
Federal domestic spending has grown more under President Bush than under any other administration in history, and more than under the administrations of Presidents Carter and Reagan combined - even after excluding the costs of the savings and loan bailout and net interest costs on the federal debt.
- Domestic spending rose a total of 17 percent after adjusting for inflation during the 12 years of the Carter and Reagan administrations.
- After only four years, domestic spending will have increased by 24.5 percent after adjusting for inflation under President Bush.
The Bush administration has also reversed the trend in domestic spending as a share of the national economy.
- Domestic spending under Reagan was cut from 14.8 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in fiscal 1981 to 12.2 percent in 1989.
- Under Bush, domestic spending has risen from 12.2 percent of GDP in 1989 to 14.6 percent in 1993.
- Current projections of the Office of Management and Budget call for domestic spending to remain well above 14 percent of GDP through fiscal 1997.
When domestic spending is compared with the rate of inflation:
- In eight years, domestic spending by the Reagan administration exceeded inflation by $58 billion.
- Through fiscal 1997, Bush's domestic spending will exceed inflation by $1.3 trillion - 22 times more than that of the Reagan administration.
Source: Scott A. Hodge and Robert Rector, "What George Bush Is Not Being Told about Federal Spending," Backgrounder No. 886, March 4, 1992, Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4999, (202) 546-4400.
