In a PolitiDose commentary dated 10/31/09 (11years ago) titled, "Federal Spending, Facts vs. Myth" it was reported how republican administrations are the big spenders in Washington and not democratic administrations as the GOP always tried to sell the public and the news media. And now after the Trump administration completed its third fiscal year on 9/30/20, we can compare those three years of federal spending with President Obama's last three fiscal years of federal spending. We will also explore federal spending for the last 40 years.
Total federal spending in Obama's last three fiscal years was $11.5 trillion. At the end of Trump's first three fiscal years total federal spending was $15.1 trillion, up $3.62 trillion or 31%. By comparison, total federal spending for Obama's first four fiscal years increased 18% over President Bush's last four fiscal years. And in Obama's last four fiscal years, total federal spending increased 7% over his first four fiscal years. So total federal spending for Obama's eight fiscal years increased a total of 25% compared to Trump's increase of 31% in only three fiscal years.
Total federal spending In President Reagan's first four fiscal years increased 50% over the previous four years of President Carter. Total federal spending in Reagan's last four fiscal years increased 25% over his first four fiscal years. So total federal spending in Reagan's eight fiscal years increased 75%. Total federal spending in President George H.W. Bush's first four fiscal years increased 28% over Reagan's last four fiscal years. Total federal spending in President Clinton's first four fiscal years increased 14% over Bush's first and only four fiscal years. Total federal spending for Clinton's last four fiscal years increased 14% over his first four fiscal years. Total federal increase in spending for Clinton's eight fiscal years was 28%. Total federal spending for President George W. Bush's first four fiscal years increased 28% over Clinton's last four fiscal years and total federal spending for Bush's last four fiscal years increased 33% over his first four fiscal years. Total federal spending increase for Bush's eight fiscal years was 61%.
The democratic administrations of Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama fell between the administrations of Reagan and Trump and brought sanity to federal spending with much smaller increases and a budget process because democrats govern with plans and policy and the real issues that affect the country and its people. Republican conservatism is a myth along with the notion that democrats are the big spenders. During this 40 year period, the Clinton and Obama administrations were the only administrations to leave office with a balanced budget and or a reduction in deficit spending from the numbers when they took office. The country and the people had to deal with an economic recession that began on the watch of Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump and three of those Presidents passed massive tax cuts that benefited the wealthy and Corporations the most which they said would keep the economy growing and balance the budget.
And if one wishes to really understand the magnitude of republican spending, how about absorbing this bit of information. It took the country 212 Years to have a $1 trillion spending budget and that took place in Reagan's fiscal year ending 9/30/87. President George W. Bush became the first President to preside over the very first $2 and $3 trillion spending budgets in fiscal 9/30/02 and fiscal 9/30/09. Trump became the first President to preside over the first $4 trillion spending budget in fiscal 9/30/18 and the first to preside over a $5 and $6 trillion spending budge in fiscal 9/30/20. It took 15 years to go from a $1 trillion spending budget to a $2 trillion budget; Then it took 7 years to go from a $2 trillion spending budget to a $3 trillion budget. It then took 9 years to go from a $3 trillion spending budget to a $4 trillion budget. It then only took 2 years to go from a $4 trillion spending to a $5 and $6 trillion spending budget. Good thing democratic President's Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama served in between those four republican President to break up the republicans spending spree.
And still today, the news media in general and especially the so called conservative republican opinion writers try to pass off republican administrations and those republicans in congress as fiscal conservatives. They are not only enablers of fake news, they have no original thought on fiscal matters or the actual numbers. And its the same media who tell us it is their job to inform the people. Yeah, right.
PolitiDose for the past 11 years has told the story of the republicans massive deficit spending and debt and their failure to balance the federal budget since 1960. That is over 60 years ago. How many years do they need? The cruel implementation of three massive tax cuts that favored those who needed tax relief the least fueled the great disparity know as income inequality and economic recessions that damaged the average American worker while Corporations gave record bonuses and salary increases to their CEO's and executives.
The national debt has increased almost $7 trillion in just three short fiscal years under Trump, the economic recession is still in progress, unemployment is higher than when Trump took office, job creation is in minus territory, Trump's trade war is still waging on and Trump and his party still have no real policy or plans to deal with the issues. Ideology rules and the country lacks governing and leadership. The fiscal disaster under this administration is there for all to see. The GOP has learned nothing from the past.
And as expressed many times in past PolitiDose commentary, "The secret to a better future is understanding the mistakes of the failed past." Otherwise, the future will be like the failed past. Republican administrations have proved that over and over. And that really says it all.
Note: Spending information above taken from the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget historical data.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
