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Stop bickering about the national debt ceiling

To the editor:

Both parties are responsible for increases in the national debt between 2001 and 2021. The national debt increased by $21.884 trillion during that period. During the Bush and Trump presidencies, the debt increased by $12.575 trillion. During Obama’s presidency, it increased by $9.308 trillion. During Bush’s presidency, the national debt increased by an average of $594 billion per year.

During Obama’s presidency, the national debt increased by an average of $1,164 billion per year. During Trump’s presidency, the national debt increased by an average of $1,956 billion per year. The largest increase was $5,780 billion during Trump’s last two years (January 2019 to January 2021). The second highest was $3,489 billion during Obama’s first two years (January 2009 to January 2011).

There didn’t seem to be any pattern of debt increases when one or the other party controlled both the Senate and the House and when control was split between the two parties. But the average annual increase in the debt was highest during the Trump presidency. His four year increase was 84% of what Obama incurred during his two four year terms.

Why is this important? Because the Republican minority in the Senate is playing political games with the debt limit. The fact of the matter is that Republican presidencies accounted for 57% of the increase. But that doesn’t leave the Democrats off the hook. Obama’s presidency contributed 43%. Both parties are responsible for increase in the debt. So why can’t they both assume responsibility, stop bickering, pass legislation to increase the debt ceiling, and come to agreement on the size of President Biden’s social infrastructure initiative?

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