Which President, considering adjustment for current $'s, has had the greatest deficit inc. in their 1st 4 yrs?
117389
I believe that is George W Bush.....especially since he started out with a surplus when he first took office and now has the largest deficit in history.
681586
Well, the last Democrat in office came close to budget surplus (but you can see Republicans won't admit it) and he didn't have a 8 Trillion dollar debt.\n\n"President Clinton inherited the deficit spending problem and did more than just talk about it, he fixed it.  In his first two years and with a cooperative Congress he set the course for the best economy this country has ever experienced.  Then he worked with what could be characterized as the most hostel Congress in history for the last six years of his administration, yet he still managed to get the growth of the debt down to 0.32% (one third of one percent) his last year in office.  Had his policies been followed for one more year the debt would have been reduced for the first time since the first year of the Kennedy administration.\n\nReagan called for a balance budget amendment but never submitted a balanced budget.The current President Bush came into office and quickly turned all that progress around.  He immediately gave yet another massive tax cut based on a failed economic policy; perhaps an economic fantasy describes it better.  \n\nThe last year Clinton was in office the nation borrowed an additional 18 billion dollars, the first year Bush Jr. was in office he had to borrow 270 billion.  The tax cut that caused this borrowing was supposed to stimulate the economy, but two years later Bush had to push through yet another tax cut.  The second tax cut was needed because it was clear that the first one did not work.  Economic history tells us the second did not work either.  As a result of all this tax cutting and no cutting in what he is spending President Bush set a record in 2003 for the biggest single yearly increase in debt in the nation’s history, again in 2004,2005 and by his own estimations he will break this record again in 2006.  The debt is now increasing at the rate of 600 billion dollars a year[ \n\nOur economy could collapse, especially when the Euro replaces the dollar as the world standard.\n\nAdditionally, China doesn't have to go to war with the US. They only have to call in the debt we owe them. Japan can do the same.
33664
Here's an odd answer:  For recent times I would say Reagan, Clinton, and our current president Bush.\n\nFor first two for communications, and the current for raw guts.
99771
The whoal thing is a joke...Reduce deficit..lol...WAKE UP AMERICA...I dunno what the heck you guys are doing...but...get off the couch and do something about it..Bush is killing America and its freedoms..and his sights seem set for  the world..that will not happen...the world will not tolerate as much as America does to its own...
304353
Forget this political name calling, let just look at the facts:\n\nAccomplishments As President:\n\n* Attacked and took over two countries. \n* Spent the surplus and bankrupted the treasury. \n* Shattered record for biggest annual deficit in history. \n* Set economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period. \n* Set all-time record for biggest drop in the history of the stock market. \n* First president in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. \n* First year in office set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in U.S. history. \n* After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. \n* Set the record for most campaign fundraising trips than any other president in U.S. history. \n* In first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their job. \n* Cut unemployment benefits for more out of work Americans than any president in U.S. history. \n* Set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. \n* Appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in U.S. history. \n* Signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any president in U.S. history. \n* Presided over the biggest energy crises in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed. \n* Cut healthcare benefits for war veterans. \n* Set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind. \n* Dissolved more international treaties than any president in U.S. history. \n* His presidency is the most secretive and unaccountable of any in U.S. history. \n* Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history (the 'poorest' multimillionaire, Condoleezza Rice, has an Exxon oil tanker named after her). \n* Presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud of any market in any country in the history of the world. \n* First president in U.S. history to order a U.S. attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation. \n* Created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States. \n* First president in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the human rights commission. \n* First president in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the elections monitoring board.  \n* Removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of congressional oversight than any presidential administration in U.S. history. \n* Withdrew from the World Court of Law. \n* Refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. prisoners of war and by default no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions. \n* First president in U.S. history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. elections). \n* All-time U.S. (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations. \n* Largest lifetime campaign contributor presided over one of the largest corporate bankruptcy frauds in world history (Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron Corporation). \n* Took the biggest world sympathy for the U.S. after 9/11, and in less than a year made the U.S. the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest diplomatic failure in U.S. and world history). \n* Reversed previous diplomatic gains and created the most hostile Israeli-Palestine relations in at least 30 years. \n* Fist U.S. president in history to have a majority of the people of Europe (71%) view the US as the biggest threat to world peace and stability. \n* Changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. \n* Set all-time record for number of administration appointees who violated U.S. law by not selling huge investments in corporations bidding for government contracts. \n* Removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any other
706319
Andrew Jackson and Bill Clinton. \nUnlike the constitutions of most states, the United States Constitution does not actually require the United States Congress to pass a "balanced" budget, one in which the projected income to the government through taxes, fees, fines, and other revenues equals the amount proposed to be spent. This has led to "deficit spending" and the creation of a national debt. Except for a short period during the presidency of Andrew Jackson, since its inception the United States Government has always been in debt. At one time, President Bill Clinton mananged to create a balanced budget for the national government.\nUnlike the constitutions of most states, the United States Constitution does not actually require the United States Congress to pass a "balanced" budget, one in which the projected income to the government through taxes, fees, fines, and other revenues equals the amount proposed to be spent. This has led to "deficit spending" and the creation of a national debt. Except for a short period during the presidency of Andrew Jackson, since its inception the United States Government has always been in debt. At one time, President Bill Clinton mananged to create a balanced budget for the national government.\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_Budget_Amendment\nI think Truman came close, but I know Jackson and Clinton did it. \nAs long as our Bills of Currency are Bills and not Notes of Currencey we will be in debt. \nA Bill is not actuall legal tender, it is a Promisary Bill of Acknowledgement and Recognized as Legal Tender. But a Bill is a Bill, There is no gray area in that. Samuel Adams addressed this in a speach during his Presidency, but the act and later bill sponsored was all but forgotten untill 1983 when it was passed and made Law.
56963
The President of the United States currently makes $400,000 per year.
377700
Definately Ronald Reagan.  He handled the Middle East situation quite well when it came up during the time he held office.\n\nTo whomever suggested Clinton:  why do you think he has any answers now?  He managed to studiously overlook the matter for his entire 8 year in office. Though I do understand he made out well with his understaff.  *WG*
338125
NO!  There is no way that any other president could possibly have screwed things up worse than he has.  \n\nWe're fighting two wars right now, our resources are vastly over-extended, and now they're talking about bombing Iran.  Talk about incompetent.  Anyone know why the American Colonies were able to defeat a country that at the time had about the most powerful military in the world?  England was busy fighting France, that's why!  It doesn't matter how powerful you are, you can still lose to a little guy if your resources are over-extended.\n\nThen there was the whole Hurricane Katrina thing.  You know, the thing where Bush said there was no way anyone could know the levees would overflow, and then a few days later the media got hold of a tape of him being told the levees would overflow.\n\nAnd there's the minor detail that he's turned an unprecedented budget surplus into an unprecedented budget deficit, and yet continues to simultaneously increase spending and decrease taxes.  Any five year old can tell you that's not the way to reduce the deficit.\n\nOh, and he's managed to turn unprecedented international support after 9/11 into hatred and ridicule.\n\nAnd have we completely forgotten Enron?  I doubt that was the only instance of the government screwing over the public to increase profits for themselves and their rich friend.s\n\nHe's also refused to do anything to slow the destruction of the environment, and in some cases has even relaxed existing limits.\n\nHe's made several attempts to channel government funds to Christian organizations, which is a clear violation of the first amendment.\n\nHe's also appointed judges who seem rather inclined to set civil rights back to the stone age.  There was even that one guy who was literally a Nazi.  As in he fought for Germany in World War II kind of a Nazi.\n\nI could go on, but it's nearly 3 in the morning and I have a paper to write.
61438
No more resulted. How can bringing less money in result in more revenue? The war effort is what raised the deficit the most. We had a budget surplus before Bush took office. The White House has now revised the 2005 deficit upwards to $427 billion. The proposal to extend the tax cuts could exceed 2.3 trillion. The accumulated trade deficit from 1971 through 2003 in dollars not adjusted for inflation is $4 trillion, 45% of which has come in the last three years.
1178517
It appears there is nothing that can't be bought!!\n\nWhat concerns me is this kind of unreasonable behavior\n\n\n"According to the U.S. Treasury Department, America's first 42 Presidents, from George Washington (1789) to Bill Clinton (2000), borrowed a combined total of $1.01 trillion from foreign governments and financial institutions. From 2000 to 2006, the Bush White House has borrowed $1.05 trillion alone. Yes, that means we have borrowed in the last 5 years what we had previously borrowed in the first 211 years of our country."
265141
I would use PBS Frontline and NOVA like you suggested. They are neutral, and just report the truth, whether you like the truth or not, it's still the truth!\n\nThe deficit is 21 trillion dollars, and we owe out of that money bonds, to China and Russia.
644443
Our economic policy is Nixonomics (Keynesian policy), so you can imagine that the result will be pretty much the same.  I expect inflation (currently observed in prices for both housing and raw materials like oil and metals), and over the longer term, some weakening growth (recession). In the days of Gerald Ford, it was called stagflation.  If we elect a responsible leadership that can control spending, we might be able to turn things around and forestall that slowdown, but sadly, I just don't see that happening.  Very few politicians on either side of the aisle are talking about responsible spending these days.  (OK, maybe they're talking about it, but they're sure not DOING it.)
542217
we havent seen a surplus since 1830s. the 'surplus' during clinton was a hoax. he bailed out mexico by having greenspan print up $3.8 billion bounced it off the roof of the treasury into chase manhatten. then bush bought us all off with it at the beginning of his 1st term. right ow the debt is $8,363,454,225,996.54 The estimated population of the United States is 298,676,548 so each citizen's share of this debt is $28,001.71. The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $1.95 billion per day since September 30, 2005! Concerned? Then tell Congress and the White House! http://www.eff.org/congress/
457454
Worse- Bush!\n\nEvery thing's falling apart thanks to him.  He's truly and embarrassment.  I just can't take a president who states that we'll have to wait for the next president to clean everything up.
1023899
Yes-eventually debt will be addressed. You can put it off for so long but its still there. Not one President-not one has done much to improve it. And many refuse to see it. History shows it happens-time and time again. And when it does many will blame that man instead of all. They will run out of places to cut. And than they will work on trying to hold it. But it will come.
369958
What caused me to change my mind is that he is not fiscally conservative.  I expect that my President will be frugal with my hard-earned tax dollars.  However, given the choice today, I still would have voted for Bush over Kerry... begrudgingly.