How did clinton produce a budget surplus?
352436
It depends on how you define budget surplus.  If you ask any real economist, then the US hasn't had a budget surplus since 1960.\n\nTypically, politicians will define the budget as annual tax inflow, including Social Security tax revenue, and subtract from that number the annual total dollar outflow, including Social Security benefits.  The net result in the 1998-2000 for this calculation was a positive number so they called it a budget surplus.  There's a catch, though.\n\nFunds flowing in and out of the Social Security Trust Fund are by law supposed to be kept separate from the rest of government spending.  If we take away the Social Security Trust Fund, we actually ran a deficit for those years, except for 1999 where we had a .7B surplus.\n\nMost economists will say that we should have a budget surplus during the good years of the economy and a deficit during the bad years to try and revive the economy.  However, we've only had 1 surplus since 1960.  Not exactly optimal.\n\nIn 1982, Alan Greenspan recommended the increase in Social Security tax because we would need it to fund the Baby Boomers that are going to retire later on.  After a few years, this worked and Social Security was running a surplus to start stocking up for the later need, which is expected to happen around 2015 when SS is expected to run a deficit again.\n\nWhat has been happening every year is that instead of leaving it for later like we're supposed to in order to pay for later SS benefits, the government has been borrowing from that surplus.  For example, in 1998, the actual deficit (not including SS) was around 30B.  We "borrowed" the 99.2B surplus from SS to pay for expenses and then reported that as a 69.2B surplus.\n\nIf you actually take a look at the national debt numbers, you'll see it.  At the end of 1997, the debt was 5.37 trillion.  At the end of 1998, it was 5.48 trillion.  Obviously, if we really had a surplus, this wouldn't have happened.\n\nIt basically looks great for the politicians to report a better budget than what really happens.  But down the line, around 2020 or later, SS is going to go bankrupt because all of that savings that Alan Greenspan envisioned is getting spent every year.\n\nThe short answer is that he didn't really without using fancy accounting techniques, except in 1999, which was the absolute peak of the economy so tax revenue increased greatly.  It's nothing against Clinton.  Both Republicans and Democrats have been doing the same thing because it looks better for them if the budget looks better.  Down the road, it's the common citizen that is going to face the consequences for our spending today.
28457
Is this a homework question?\n\nReagan did run up the national debt with his 'trickle-down' economics ideas. But the Clinton years erased all the debt, and we were actually left with a surplus.\n\nBut then Bush came along and squandered it all away, and saddled us with a record debt - over 8 TRILLION dollars.
772459
Clinton spent more than anyone in any senate campaign ever, outspent Spencer by at least 10 to one. I think I heard 16 million on TV last night.  The republican party gave nothing to Spencer, they knew he had no chance.  Clinton didn't have to spend akll that money to win, but she wanted to win big to set her up for a run at the presidency.
329850
Let's see.  Raised taxes and cut back on spending.  Left office with a multimillon dollar surplus... it takes a REAL CONservative like president Chimp to loot the nation and drive the economy into a black hole.
1075375
Because Clinton overcut the military budgets when he became president. He used the end of the 'cold war' as an excuse, but his real reasoning is he has always had a personal vendetta against the military. They were grossly underfunded for eight years, and those nice little amenities like body armor and guns that don't jam take mucho cashy money- money the government has only in the last 4 years or so actually begun delivering, and that has been somewhat squandered, to a degree, by the civilian powers-that-barely-be at the Pentagon (which means that Bush is also responsible, to a degree, because he either appointed these morons, or appointed the people who hired these morons).
544972
First start with the fiscal accounting of your local government. In my town of 5000 that is about 100 pages. Then move to the fiscal report of the County. That is about 1000 pages. Then the State, currently reported to be 30, 000 pages. The Federal Government report I am told is over 100,000 pages of graphs, charts, lists, and such. \nWhat you are asking for is a simple explanation of the budget in layman's terms. That won't be happening until a private citizen's group sits down and undertakes the job to parse out all of the BS. A huge undertaking that has no payoff at the end. Sorry, but most of us are too busy making a living to undertake such a daunting task, and no politician will ever touch this with a ten foot pole. The fraud and waste of Government are the key mechanisms that it feeds on. Hell, if you can find one bill in Congress that doesn't have five to a hundred riders that have nothing to do with the original bill, I will shake your hand. Your idealism is well noted, but it is going to take social upheaval to change anything any time soon.
73380
1. Spent the surplus and bankrupted the treasury.\n2. Cut healthcare benefits for war veterans.\n3. Rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant.\n\nAlmost as impressive as his accomplishments as Governer of Texas, don't you think?
79273
You may read that the President has a budget of ten Zillion dollars BUT, until congress "appropriates" or provides the actual money,(funds the budget) he has nothing. I.E. the President "proposes" but congress "Disposes"
709866
After the Clinton Presidency, the new President got a pay increase to $450,000 a year.  A greater percentage than min. wage will ever get.\n\nNow regarding what BUSHITE makes a year is in the millions.
358195
Yes, it was one of the most significant achievements of the Clinton administation. It resulted in deficit reduction for all eight years of the administration, and finally brought the US fiscal house in order after 12 years of Republican budget mismanagement.\n\nFor more information, try:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnibus_Budget_Reconciliation_Act_of_1993\n\nFor the actual text of the law:\nhttp://naic.acf.hhs.gov/general/legal/federal/pl103_66.cfm\n\nFor a report on the consequences:\nhttp://www.clevelandfed.org/Research/Com93/1015.pdf
731283
Clinto balanced the bhudget and had a huge surplus that Bush squandered.
999801
Hitlery Clinton!!!what can I get for nothing???something free?? oh yeah the govt. has a lot of money lets get that!!= liberal!
170729
Clinton...he got rid of the National debt, now look where we are with Bush.
999144
Bush blew through Clinton's reservoir of excess funds faster than Clinton was able to make the surplus happen. \nThis war should be with the people who flew into our country and caused the 9/11 tragedy.\nIraq pissed off the oil money people that are friends and cronies of George and his daddy. They used to have parties together. Now they are annoyed and using our soldiers to settle their spat. Thankfully, there is the benefit of freedom for the Iraqi people. That makes this not a mistake, this makes their presence there worth while. \nI just want to understand why we are not concentrating on the terrorists that started this. I have many loved ones serving over there, including my youngest child's father. I believe in what they are doing. I thank them for their zeal. I love my country, I cannot fight for it, I thank our veterans for doing what I cannot. \nI do want to impeach Bush. He is a liar. He is a thief, and he is too confused and mentally lost to run our country. He "won" both elections with controversy. Why not a re-vote instead of a re-count? If he had won clean, I would say nothing, but two elections with controversy makes me wonder about the truth of the politics in Washington. \nI want Clinton back. Hillary too. I want to have a paycheck and get my overtime. I want to take better care of our people here in America before we send money to other countries. I want to have the values of the government to come back closer to the constitution that our country is based on. Please give us a hero for a president. Not a c average screw off who obviously does not understand that you have to have a BUDGET! Some one in charge who understands that America wants to eat too. I was making 24000 a year when Clinton left office, I make 8000 a year now since Bush has been in. I have lost my house, my car, and filed bankruptcy. I never left my job. The American Dream will die if Bush has control much longer. I am not alone, my co-workers are many, and we have all lost. I am in human services. \nMy stock account has gone from 200 when Clinton took office, 44000 when Clinton left office. My stock is now worth about 12000. I cashed out not long ago before any more disappeared, in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy. Please give me a president who understands that the poor will rise up against an unfair system when it becomes too much of a burden. I fear for our inner cities, I fear for our children who have been slashed form the programs that Bush has removed. Clinton was able to help these people, why can't Bush? Answer, he doesn't care, he is lost, he is taking bad advice...
1137102
There is only 1 - if you want a successful economy with a balanced budget, you use the PAY AS YOU GO system that Clinton did. BTW, Bush immediately stopped using this system as soon as he became president in 2000.
871464
I can't find the deficit, but here's a graph that shows the U.S. national debt as it was created over time.\n\nAt the time Reagan left office, it was right around $4 trillion, or about twice what it was when he took office in 1980.\n\nhttp://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/faq.html
215592
When Clinton left office our national debt was in the Black. (that means we had EXTRA money left over after getting rid of debt) Within the first 6 months Bush was in office we were in the Red again. It hasn't stopped since. We are going to hell in a hand basket. God I hate Bush.