The change in America's debt by presidential term

http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/11/daily-chart

by robg • 14 years ago

4 5 14 years ago

argonaut• 14 years ago

Interesting. It seems that only Truman's debt-cutting is responsible for 'outweighing' Obama's dramatic increase in the debt (relative to GDP). Even Reagan and Clinton increased debt relative to GDP.

That being said, this definitely over-represents the increase in debt when a president increases the absolute debt while the economy shrinks/stagnates, and vice versa.

Tagbert• 14 years ago

My understanding of the recent debt is that it is caused less by increased spending and more by a dramatic drop in revenue because of the economic collapse since 2008.

robotico• 14 years ago

Pretty sickening. 90% top tax rate though - that's pretty ridiculous.

gizmo686• 14 years ago

Eyeballing the chart, it looks like the debt change was following its own function irrespective of the president.

trevelyan• 14 years ago

The ordering is not chronological.

The change in America's debt by presidential term

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