Health Care

Obama has agrued, counterintuitively, that health care will actually save tons of money because American businesses have been so burdened by health care costs and his plan would save money.
Unfortunately, the CBO estimates than any savings will be very small and will not offset the increased cost of universal health care.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2009/07/26/orszagism-reeling.aspx

Our Federal Debt

I think that Congress likes it when we complain about Bush did this and Obama does that. It helps keep people's eyes off of the ball. Our Constitution gives so much power to the Congress. It is our legislative branch. It controls the budget. All revenue measures are required to start in the House of Representatives. All of the Executive Departments were formed and regulated by Congress. Except maybe the State and Defense departments but even they are controlled by the Congressional budgeting.
We are nearing a threshold. In the 6 years of having a Republican President and a Republican controlled Congress, we added $3,018 billion to our national debt. In the 2.5 years of having a Democrat controlled Congress, we added $2,918 to our debt. At the current rate, it will take about 3 total years, or 6 more months, for the Democrat controlled Congress to add more debt than the previous 12 years that there was a Republican controlled Congress. In 12 years of Republican control, $3,880 billion was added to the national debt.

The Federal Debt

As of today, the federal debt stands at $11,270 Billion. It is increasing at a rate of $3.8 billion per day. I will become eligible for Social Security (full benefits) in 2016, which, coincidentally, is when the SS system is schedule to start operating at a deficit, with outgo exceding income.

Now, according to our Constitution, the Congress has the following authority:

"Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States"

In short, the Congress, not the President, has primary responsibility for the budget. So, let's review.

In Jan 1, 1993, the debt was $4,070 billion. By Jan 1, 1995, it was $4,710, for a $625 billion increase under the Democrat controlled Congress. By Jan 1, 2007, it was $8,592 billion under the 12 years of Republican control. And now, after 29 months of Democrat control, it has increased by $2,678 billion. So, in 53 months, 4.4 yrs, under Democrat control, the debt increased by $3,303 billion and in 12 years under Republican control, it increased $3,882 billion.

So, at current rate, the Democrat controlled Congress, should exceed the Republican debt in less than 6 years, or twice the rate.