The conservative media and their journalist/opinion writers feed the public misinformation to influence their opinions on the issues. The general media enables the GOP's misinformation and lies by refusing to balance that with the facts that would inform the public. A good example is the issue being played out at this very moment concerning congress raising the debt ceiling to fund government that congress already approved.
The GOP controlled U.S. House has threatened a government shutdown if President Biden does not agree to reduce federal spending. So lets look at their attempt to shift the blame to the President for their own record spending spree during Trump's 4 fiscal years, a period they do not want to talk about because it is so damaging to them and their party's fiscal disaster. Plus they know the media has no interest in telling the American people the truth about the issues and the GOP lies. Keep in mind the GOP during Trump's term had no problem raising the debt ceiling without cutting federal spending. Let's examine the facts.
In the Trump/GOP's short four fiscal years total federal spending was $21.5 trillion, up 43% from Obama's last 4 fiscal years. Total deficit spending was $7.5 trillion and $8.2 trillion was added to the national debt. Total federal spending passed the $4, 5, and 6 trillion mark and at the end of Trump's 3rd fiscal year federal spending hit $6.5 trillion. And in Trump's last fiscal year federal spending hit $6.8 trillion. The last two fiscal years saw federal spending at record levels. The Trump/GOP administration did nothing to reduce federal spending and did everything to increase federal spending to record levels.
Now, the GOP uses threats to hold the President and America hostage for the fiscal carnage of their last 4 years of governing if Biden does not agree to reduce federal spending and budget cuts. The following is the President's record so far on fiscal matters. Federal spending at the end of Biden's first fiscal year ending 9/30/22 was $6.2 trillion, a reduction of 8% from Trump's last fiscal year spending of $6.8 trillion. Biden's 2nd fiscal year ends 9/30/23 and federal spending is projected to be close and around the same number according to reports. The President recently released his fiscal year budget that ends 9/30/24 that projects federal spending to be $6.8 trillion, the same number in the Trump/GOP budget spending in their last fiscal year.
In other words, The President has already reduced federal spending and his latest budget proposal does not exceed the Trump/GOP spending that ended their last fiscal year. Yet, the GOP continues to lie about runaway spending under the Biden administration and the media runs with those talking points of lies and misinformation and never feels it has a responsibility to inform the American people of the facts and call the GOP out for its lies.
Historical government records will show that democratic administrations have a much better record dealing with lower federal spending than GOP administrations and by far. The record also shows that during the Clinton and Obama administrations federal spending increased at a much smaller rate than it did under Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump and by far. Louisiana's representation in the Congress supported the fiscal carnage that took place on Trump and their watch and never demanded reducing federal spending or cutting the budget.
PolitiDose commentary was there every step of the way over the past 9 years exposing the GOP's fairy tale of fiscal responsibility and the media's willingness to turn their backs on the truth.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
