I was talking to a friend the other day that was absolutely blasting Obama's spending. Now my friend is a devoted Fox guy, loves Rush, you know the type. Anyway I decided to take a look at the actual numbers to see for myself. (You can download the historical revenue/outlays worksheet from the department of treasury)
I compared every president back to Ford. But first let me clarify, an incoming president inherits the final 9 months of the outgoing presidents budget since we have a Oct 1 thru Sept 30 budget year. For example, Carter submitted the 1981 budget in 1980, it went through the approval process and went into effect on Oct 1, 1980, a month before Reagan was elected. That was 90 days before he took office. That budget included a 15% increase over the 1980 budget. I don't believe it is fair to stick Reagan with Carter's 15% increase. So for the purpose of my comparison I am looking at who signed budget into law. In Carter's case, he signed the 78, 79, 80, and 81 budgets into law.
Then I looked at the average percent of increase over their presidency.
This is what I found:
President Average increase per year
Ford 15%
Carter 13%
Reagan 7%
Bush (HW) 5%
Clinton 4%
Bush (W) 8%
Obama 0%
In fact Obama is the first president (going back to Ford) that ever had a year of negative growth. 2010, 2012, and 2013 all had negative 2% growth.
The controversy is that I included the 2009 budget year (the last one W signed) under Bush. With the bank bailout falling in fiscal Q1 2009 (calendar Q4 2008) that is the only fair way to do it. Im sure the boys over at Fox would take issue with that.
I also found this interesting:
If the economic fiasco of 2009 had never happened and we simply grew government spending a the Clinton like rate of 4% annually. Taking the 2008 annual spend of 2.982 trillion, today we would be spending 3.773 trillion. If we increased spending at the rate W was (7% annually prior to 09) we would be spending 4.475 trillion. In reality Obama spent 3.506 trillion last year. That is less then was spent in 09, 5 years ago.
I am sure people will argue that ACA and other programs will increase spending in the future, that is fair commentary. But as of now, Obama has grown government less then any other president (going back as far as Ford).
I compared every president back to Ford. But first let me clarify, an incoming president inherits the final 9 months of the outgoing presidents budget since we have a Oct 1 thru Sept 30 budget year. For example, Carter submitted the 1981 budget in 1980, it went through the approval process and went into effect on Oct 1, 1980, a month before Reagan was elected. That was 90 days before he took office. That budget included a 15% increase over the 1980 budget. I don't believe it is fair to stick Reagan with Carter's 15% increase. So for the purpose of my comparison I am looking at who signed budget into law. In Carter's case, he signed the 78, 79, 80, and 81 budgets into law.
Then I looked at the average percent of increase over their presidency.
This is what I found:
President Average increase per year
Ford 15%
Carter 13%
Reagan 7%
Bush (HW) 5%
Clinton 4%
Bush (W) 8%
Obama 0%
In fact Obama is the first president (going back to Ford) that ever had a year of negative growth. 2010, 2012, and 2013 all had negative 2% growth.
The controversy is that I included the 2009 budget year (the last one W signed) under Bush. With the bank bailout falling in fiscal Q1 2009 (calendar Q4 2008) that is the only fair way to do it. Im sure the boys over at Fox would take issue with that.
I also found this interesting:
If the economic fiasco of 2009 had never happened and we simply grew government spending a the Clinton like rate of 4% annually. Taking the 2008 annual spend of 2.982 trillion, today we would be spending 3.773 trillion. If we increased spending at the rate W was (7% annually prior to 09) we would be spending 4.475 trillion. In reality Obama spent 3.506 trillion last year. That is less then was spent in 09, 5 years ago.
I am sure people will argue that ACA and other programs will increase spending in the future, that is fair commentary. But as of now, Obama has grown government less then any other president (going back as far as Ford).