Obama took office in 2009. The 2009 budget was George Bush's not Obama's. Meaning the debt was at almost 12 trillion (11,909,829,003,511.75) when Obama first had control of it. At most it has risen by roughly 5 trillion since Obama took office. 5 is not half of 17.

I just explained this very thing.. in this topic, did you not read it?

Also what the debt fails to show is spending has lowered overall it's the lowered GDP since the crash and the interest that is being paid on the full 17 trillion. Each year Obama has been in office the interest on the national debt has been roughly $400 million. Meaning last year the debt went up by 1.1 trillion but the interest paid on the whole debt was $359,796,008,919.49.

Interest on the debt..

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/r...ir_expense.htm


Now when you figure out that each year the interest on the debt has bounced between $350 billion to $450 billion that makes this years projected outstanding debt very very good as it will be about $650 billion. Meaning the govt only spent roughly $200 billion more than they could afford. Our economy is coming back and the spending is lowered, this means the debt will start going down.

Now the military spending doesn't just equal debt. I was just showing what each president has spent with that graph. These are published numbers, you can verify them in lots of places. The fact is when Clinton lowered our debt he also cut military spending by roughly 100-150 billion a year.

Also that chart doesn't even show veterans services and many other things that making up the full military spending. If you add that in it's closer to 900 billion/year total.

As soon as Bush came into office the military budget soared and has continued at roughly the same levels under Obama. Bush increased military spending by roughly 2/3 compared to what it was under Clinton and Obama has kept it as the same level.

By all rights we have pulled out of the Iraq war.. and even Afghan is somewhat winding down but spending in the Military has barely blinked from Bush levels. when we had two wars going on.

Meaning when Republicans say they want to cut entitlement programs, then Obama needs to be pushing cuts in Military spending. Instead it's been Republicans holding the economy hostage and the fight has been over Obamacare.

The thing is Obamacare might not be perfect, but it's going to eventually save tax payers money, just not at the start. Right now we already pay nearly 900 billion a year in health services. Much of that cost will be shifted to individuals and they will then be covered by insurance rather than tax payers flipping the bill for people whom have no insurance.

This is what boggles my mind when Republicans fight against health insurance, because it will save us tax dollars in the long run. They know this this, they can see the numbers. They are just making it a political battle to divide the country and try to gain votes. The best possible thing we could do for our county's debt is to have health insurance for everyone.

Yes it will cost but in the long run we will save.

This all assumes we will make it to the *long run* which is at best unlikely. This is new territory. This much debt is historical. The amount of pain it will take to manage it only suggests that no politician will have the strength to do it.

I think what it will take is to completely close the borders for years. No more Chinese imports until the balance of trade is equal. And the same would need to happen with all of the country's major trading partners.

Yes me too. I think we all just get frustrated at the situation and have different ideas as to what is the best way to fix it.

:thumbsup

That's exactly right. :)

I remember when I was a kid my grandfather warned me to never discuss politics or religion...I shoulda listened. lol