Those who follow politics know that the Republican Party's attitude is to convey the message they are best at running government and dealing with all the issues and they also believe conservatism makes them elite. The party also goes to the extreme in their attempt to demonize the democratic record of success. Their Presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken up the same ditto rhetoric.
BUT IS IT REALLY JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT:
The last republican administration to balance the federal budget was President Eisenhower in 1960, over 50 years ago. But in that same time span two democratic Presidents, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton balanced 5 federal budgets. The republicans and democrats controlled the White House 28 years each during that span including Barack Obama. Source: Congressional Budget Office Historical yearly record on the federal budget.
In the last 50 years the largest percentage increase in the national debt took place on the watch of the republican administrations of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Nixon-Ford. At the end of President Reagan's eight fiscal years the national debt increased a whopping 186%. At the end of President George W. Bush's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 105%. At the end of President's Nixon-Ford's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 98%. Where as the smallest percentage increase in the national debt took place on the democratic watch of Kennedy-Johnson, Clinton and Carter. At the end of President's Kennedy-Johnson's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 18%. At the end of President Bill Clinton's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 31%. At the end of President Carter's four fiscal years the national debt increased 43%. President Obama has not completed his term in office but at the end of his last fiscal year the percentage increase in the national debt will not exceed Reagan, Bush or Nixon-Ford. Source: U.S. Treasury Historical Yearly Record On The National Debt
In the last 36 years the largest increase in total federal spending took place on the republican watch of President's Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. In Reagan's first four fiscal years total spending increased 50% over the previous four fiscal years. In Reagan's second and last four fiscal years it increased 25% over his first four fiscal years. In Bush's first four fiscal years total federal spending increased 28% over Bill Clinton's last four fiscal years. In Bush's last and final four fiscal years total federal spending increased 33% over his first four fiscal years. The smallest increase in total federal spending took place under the democratic administrations of President's Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. In Clinton's first and second terms (eight fiscal years) total federal spending increased 14% in each of his four fiscal years. In President Obama's first four fiscal years total federal spending increased 18% over George W. Bush's last four fiscal years. Source: Congressional Budget Office Historical Yearly Record On the Federal Budget.
No Republican President in the last 50 years has left office with a smaller federal budget deficit than it was when he took office. But three democratic Presidents did. Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama will also when he leaves office even though he inherited the largest single year federal deficit of $1.4 trillion courtesy of President George W. Bush. Source: Congressional Budget Office Historical Yearly Record On the Federal Budget.
No republican administration in the last 50 years has created as many jobs as the democratic administration it followed. Not even President Reagan. In Reagan's first four years 5.3 million jobs were created. In President Carter's first and only four years 10.3 million jobs were created.
The highest sustained unemployment rate in the last 50 years took place on the republican watch of President Reagan. It stood at over 10% for ten straight months from September 1982 to June 1983 and averaged 10.4% for those ten months.Source: U.S. Labor Department Historical Yearly Unemployment tables.
The two greatest economic failures took place on the republican watch of President's Herbert Hoover during the great depression and George W. Bush in the economic meltdown of 2008.
The three greatest bank failures took place on the republican watch of President's Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Herbert Hoover, the bank failures during the great depression. Under Ronald Reagan the Savings and Loan failure in the early 80"s that cost the government over one billion dollars and the Wall Street Bank Failures under George W. Bush.
The worst terror attack against Americans abroad took place on the republican watch of President Ronald Reagan when terrorists blew up the Marine compound in Lebanon that killed 241 U.S. Marines. The planners of that attack were never brought to justice by the Reagan administration.
The worst foreign terror attack on America's homeland took place on the republican watch of President George W. Bush on 9/11/01 when terrorists struck the world trade center in New York and the Pentagon killing over 3,000 people. The Bush administration failed to bring the planner of those attacks to justice and he had seven years and three months to do so but President Obama did.
There was no statistical change in the U.S. Poverty rate during President Reagan's term in office. It was down 3.5% on President Clinton's watch and up over 2% on President George W. Bush's watch. It was down 1.3% in 2015 compared to 2014 and is projected to be down again at the end of Obama's term in office. Source: U.S. Census Bureau
More jobs were created under the administration of democratic President Bill Clinton in 8 years than were created under the republican administration of President's Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 in the 20 years they served. There were 22.7 million jobs created on Clinton's watch. On Reagan's watch 16.1 million jobs were created; On Bush 41 watch 2.5 million jobs were created; On Bush 43 watch 1.1 jobs were created. A total of 19.7 million jobs for their 20 years, 3 million less jobs than Clinton. And when Obama leaves office more jobs will be created under his administration in 8 years than were created under Bush 41 and Bush 43 in the 12 years they served. So far over 15 million jobs have been created under President Obama. And to think that both Reagan and Bush cut taxes for corporations and the top 1% while Clinton raised taxes on those making over $200,000.00 but trickle down economics did not create the economy or job creation that those republican Presidents said it would. And now Trump is trying to sell the American people the same fairy tale.
North Korea tested its first atomic bomb and became a nuclear power and Iran pursued a nuclear program on the republican watch of President George W. Bush while he was talking tough but the President had no policies to deal with the two threats because the country was involved with Iraq. President Obama's administration and its allies struck an agreement with Iran that shut down their nuclear weapons program.
It was the Obama administration that brought Bin Laden to justice because the President made doing so his top priority to the intelligence community. Tough talk played no role but plans and tough action did.
On the republican watch of President Ronald Reagan the United States moved from being the worlds largest international creditor to the worlds largest debtor nation.
The facts would tell any reasonable person that democratic administrations perform much better than republican administrations in all matters of importance in governing and the country and its people are better off because of it. "Coincidence" of such a broad range and over such a long period of time just don't happen. Democrats believe that plans and policy position s are necessary to come up with the right answers to solve problems and deal with the issues.
Republicans lack plans and policies to deal with problems and issues because they govern by ideology. Their decisions are not based on facts to solve problems. They do just the opposite and bend the facts to suit their ideology and there fore never solve a problem or an issue. That is why they engage in personal attacks and lack any dialogue of accomplishments.
The bottom line is democratic administrations have accomplished those issues that republicans only talk and brag about and democrats have accomplished those issues on a regular basis over a period of many years. This writer believes the election of Hillary Clinton on November 8 to be the next President of the United States is the right choice for the country and its people. The historical facts indicate a Clinton administration will continue the progress made under the Obama administration and even expand more positive opportunities for the country and its people. A Clinton administration would also keep the country and our people safe.
Note 1: Source of information on job creation comes from Wikipedia and other online information concerning job creation. All reported information on Job creation are not the same but are very close and do not change the numbers shown in this commentary.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
