Who in Washington is Responsible for the U.S Debt?

UNITED STATES DEBT AS A PERCENTAGE OF GDP (1940 - 2012 EsT) WHO IN WASHINGTON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR • 16.3 in 2012 THE Measuring U.S. debt in numbers that haven't been adjusted for inflation produces an alarming and somewhat misleading result. .05 • in 1940 ($ trillions) Measuring U.S. debt as a percentage of GDP gives us a much better idea of who our biggest borrowers have been. U.S. DEBT Party in control of U.S. Presidency Party in control of U.S. Senate DEMOCRAT-CONTROLLED PRESIDENCY ??? 121.7% DEMOCRAT-CONTROLLED CONGRESS in 1946 REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED PRESIDENCY With all the talk lately about the debt ceiling, 100.8% REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS we wanted to take a look at how we got here. PERIODS OF RECESSION in 2012 (est) While political parties play the blame game, the facts paint a more complicated picture. The data shows that both parties have presided over huge increases and decreases in our 60.2% 52.4% 32.5% national debt, and that events like World War 2 AVERAGE DEBT Party in control of U.S. House of Representatives in 1940 and periods of recession have often been far in 1981 more important than party ideology. YEAR 40 20 00 19 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 92 94 96 98 02 04 06 08 10 12 06 BUDGET SURPLUSES & DEFICITS AS A PERCENTAGE OF GDP -3% 4.6% Some presidents are better at balancing in 1940 in 1948 -7% budgets than others. Despite labels such in 2012 (est) -30.3% as fiscal conservative or big government in 1943 liberal, the data shows that the ability or inability to balance budgets is truly bi-partisan. Roosevelt Truman Eisenhower Kennedy Johnson Nixon Ford Carter Reagan Bush '41 Clinton Bush 43 Obama HOW THE RATIO OF US DEBT COMPARES TO OTHER COUNTRIES. The range is enormous due to emerging third world markets and wild swings created by the economic collapse. (Public Debt/GDP) 1,307% 413% 95.4% 92.6% 18.4% 14.3% 5.8% 4% UK USA RUSSIA BRAZIL CHINA IRELAND EU INDIA Designed by elefint designs elefintdesigns.com | Sources: CIA World Fact Book, White House Office of Management and Budget.