If the Republicans are so conservative why historically large deficits?

Question

Reagan, Bush, Bush all left (or are leaving) office with historically large deficits while claiming to be fiscal conservatives. The tax and spend liberal label may have fit in the sixties, but isn't it more truthful to describe republicans as fiscally irresponsible?

Answer 1

Conservatives don't conserve, and they have been the enemies of America since the signing of the Declaration of Independence from the conservative pr!cks in England.

Answer 2

Oh, how quickly you guys forget Jimmy Carter. lol

Answer 3

Well lets examine it shall we.  Remember now who is in control of the money (mostly) is congress.  So its mostly to do with whois in congress because spending bills are done there.  Executives can only approve money for limited time for certain things.

one example  spending bill on Iraq for instance ... congress did that.  

Sure the President can ask for it.  but he cant spend the money unless congress writes up a bill and votes on spending the money.

So with that in mind Reagan had deficits.  Well Reagan asked for a congressional spending cut.  Congress told him if you will raise this tax we promise to spend less money and the budget will get balanced.

Reagan approved their tax hike, congress didnt cut their spending though and we had a deficit.

Bush sr, I remember him saying read my lips, no new taxes.  Then he got talked into one anyway and didnt hold his ground on it. he had been, as Reagan had, trying to get congress to cut spending.  well what happened.. same thing that happened to Reagan pretty much.  He caved in on the tax hike ( which he shouldnt have) and they kept on spending. Deficit again.

Then we had Clinton.  He wanted to cut the defense budget by 60 billion, the changed his mind and wanted to cut it by 120 billion.

He cut easily 1/4 of the entire defense budget.  plus they just shifted money from public debt to intergovernmental holdings.  the national debt still rose every year and we were still in a deficit overall every year.

But then we we move into Bush the jr's administration we have 9/11 happen.  we have afghanistan, and Iraq,  and with a severely slashed military budget money has to be spent for military to have the needed equipment that they didnt have since clinton cut it.  We also had Katrina and lots of federal money spent on distaster handling as well as the feds paying for displaced people.  Alot of expense that is not normal.  No way a deficit could be avoided.  Although Bush did encourage spending on more than he should have.  

Well that covers the last 28 years pretty much at least.  and of the 20 that were republican administrations the majority of that time it was democrats controlling congress ( and the budget )  and by contrast it was republicans controlling it much of the time clinton was in office.

""sociald- If I understand your argument, Congress holds all the power, except when Clinton is in power. Is that about right?""

no im saying that in the years where the deficit was reduced ( it was never completely eliminated but reduced), it was a republican congress.  And during most of theyears when the deficit was large it was a democratic congress.   Its always about compromise, neither side completely gets their way.

And im not about to completely blame anyone.  Most politicians spend too much money no matter what party,  but the real facts show things in a much different light than what people claim.

Answer 4

their way

Answer 5

You answered your own question.  They are CLAIMING to be fiscal conservatives.  In reality, they are corporatists, and they have all achieved their goal of redistributing wealth from the middle class to the corporations and the very rich.

Answer 6

you see, it's all talk and no sustenance.......