Author Archives: PEB
Which Presidents increased the debt the most?
In this presidential election year, let’s talk about the national debt and which party, and hence its Presidents, increased it the most during their terms in office. There’s a much maligned chart originally put out by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s office which demonstrates quite well visually the differences between conservative and progressives when in office.
While it’s true the numbers are off, they’re not that far off; calculating the amount of debt each President inherited from his predecessor, as compared to the level of debt he passed on is not rocket science; it’s basically Government 101 that any President’s first year in office is not their budget, it’s the last year’s budget of his predecessor, thus any President’s first year of debt is not theirs’ but their predecessor’s last year of debt; Reagan’s first year of fiscal accountability was FY82 not FY 81, and that’s how each administration’s percentage of increase of the national debt should be calculated, thus it wasn’t President Obama’s first budget that dramatically exploded the national debt, it was President Bush’s final federal budget. Here are the actual debts and the percentage of increase in Billions of dollars, as well as a graphic representation of deficit increases and decreases under each president:
Under President Reagan, the National Debt was $994 billion at the end of 1981 and $2,867 billion at the end of 1989 = a 118% increase in the debt and an increase in deficit spending.
Under President George H.W. Bush (41), the National Debt was $2,867 billion at the end of 1989 and $4,351 billion at the end of 1993 = a 51% increase in the debt and an increase in deficit spending.
Under President Clinton, the National Debt was $4,351 billion at the end of 1993 and $5,807 billion at the end of 2001 = a 33% increase in the debt, but a decrease in the deficit spending.
Under President George W. Bush (43), the National Debt was $5,807 billion at the end of 2001 and $11,909 billion at the end of 2009 = a 106% in the debt and a corresponding explosion in deficit spending.
Under President Obama, the National Debt was $11,909 billion at the end of 2009 and $15,270 billion by current estimates = a 29% increase in the debt, but like President Clinton (while not a surplus) a drop in deficit spending.
I’m sorry conservatives, but the largest increases of our National Debt and deficits were under Presidents Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 where conversely the smallest increases have been under Presidents Clinton (deficit decreased) and Obama – you’re entitled to your own opinion, but you’re not entitled to your own set of facts.
Latest 2012 Presidential Polls – 23 Jan 12 (post-South Carolina Primary) Edition
Never has the Republican Tea Party (GOTP) nominating circus, specifically the GOTP clown car, spun so wildly down Nomination Drive as it did on Saturday, 21 Jan 12 in South Carolina when Newton Leroy Gingrich pummeled Willard Mittens Romney in a decisive primary victory 40 to 27 placing Mitten’s assured coronation as the GOTP nominee in serious danger. No GOTP primary candidate has ever won the party’s nomination without winning South Carolina – NONE repeat NONE have ever pulled that off.
The current regular season records for the remaining four GOTP candidates are Gingrich 1, Santorum 1, Romney 1 and Paul 0; never have three separate candidates won the first three GOTP caucuses/primaries – NEVER; clearly the party doesn’t want Mitt, but can’t decide who it wants instead of him. Do they go with the crazy uncle in the attic, the over-the-top gay bashing brother, or the adulterer?
So, in the aftermath of Newton’s victory where have things settled poll wise? A new Gallup Tracking poll of registered voters conducted 18 – 22 Jan 12 has been released and the current poll results are: Willard Mittens Romney 29; Newton Leroy Gingrich 28; Ronny Paul 13 and Ricky Santorum 11
Things have turned drastically against Romney in current Florida polling where the new Rasmussen Reports poll of likely voters conducted on 22 Jan 12 now has Gingrich 41; Romney 32; Santorum 11; and Paul 8
There are no new polls for the upcoming Nevada Caucus where Romney led in the last Las Vegas Review-Journal poll: Romney 35; Gingrich 26; Paul 5; Perry 4; Huntsman and Santorum 1, but depending on Florida things may turn here as well.
For the Maine Caucus there haven’t been any new polls conducted since October; Maine’s caucus is the same day as Nevada, 4 Feb 12.
Concerning how the GOTP candidates currently stack up against the President, the latest Rasmussen Reports poll of likely voters conducted 20 – 22 Jan 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 45/Romney 43
President Obama 48/Gingrich 39
President Obama 48/Santorum 38
Clearly Rasmussen doesn’t see Paul as a serious contender – finally something I can agree on with Rasmussen.
Romney’s primary record went from 1-1 to 1-2 as a seemingly clear victory became at best a long and drawn out primary process for Mittens, but at worse a losing proposition; Florida will tell if he’s realistically still in it.
So, if the GOTP clown car had finally stopped spinning, and the general election was held today, Willard Mittens Romney would barely be the GOTP nominee, and he’d lose to President Obama in the general election.
Six Marines killed in Afghan chopper crash
Six Marines were killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, officials said on 20 Jan 12, indicating the incident was not believed to be the result of enemy fire.
The helicopter, a CH-53 Sea Stallion, went down in the volatile Helmand province, according to one US official who said: “Initial indications are that this was not hostile fire.” The dead were members of the US military, another US official told AFP. In a brief statement, NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said the cause of the crash was under investigation. “However, initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash,” it said. The helicopter came down in the Musa Qala district of Helmand province on Thursday “due to technical failure”, the provincial Afghan army corps commander Sayed Mulook said.
Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a spokesman for the Taliban militia, which is leading a 10-year insurgency in Afghanistan, claimed the insurgents had shot down the helicopter. Mulook rejected the claim. The Sea Stallion is a heavy transport aircraft capable of carrying about 40 people. The US officials did not say whether anyone else was on board, other than the six victims. An ISAF spokesman said in Kabul that the crash occurred late Thursday.
He stressed that “there was no enemy around”, but could not give further information such as the terrain at the crash site or the weather.
Killed in the crash were CPT Nathan R. McHone, CPT Daniel B. Bartle, MSG Travis Riddick, CPL Kevin Reinhard, CPL Jessie W. Stities and CPL Joseph Logan all from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
The lost Marines were the 1,881st, 1,882nd, 1,883rd, 1,884th, 1,885th and 1,886th Americans to die in Afghanistan … Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden
Phillip D. McGeath
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
CPL Phillip D. McGeath, 25, Glendale, Ariz.., died Jan. 18 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment; 2nd Marine Division; II Marine Expeditionary Force; Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Division public affairs office at 910-450-6575.
CPL McGeath is the 1,880th American to die in Afghanistan … Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden
Keith D. Benson
SPC Keith D Benson, a 27-year-old Army combat medic who grew up in Norwood, died 18 Jan 12 of an unspecified cause in the Paktika Province in Southeastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistan border.
Benson, who graduated from Norwood High School in 2002, was assigned to the Second Battalion; 28th Infantry Regiment; 172d Infantry Brigade; based in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
The Pentagon did not announce a cause of death, but said it is under investigation.
Benson’s family has declined to comment, but several of the soldier’s friends posted somber condolences on his Facebook page.
Lisa Malinowski, in a telephone interview, described Benson, whom she knew for 12 years, as “the nicest person I will probably meet in my entire life.” She said she last spoke with him several years ago, before he entered the military.
“He said he was thinking about going into the Army, but wasn’t sure about whether he would get in because of a bad knee,’’ she said. “He was always a gentleman and would come over whenever we had backyard barbecues and say ‘Hi,’ and give my mother a kiss. I’m in shock that he’s gone.”
Benson was an avid fan of music, Malinowski said. He enjoyed music classes in high school and attended numerous concerts, including Aerosmith.
Benson had indicated that he wanted to become an EMT after retiring from the Army.
Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray made a brief remark about Benson’s death earlier today, saying, “Our thoughts are with his immediate family in Norwood and Mansfield, his friends, and his unit.”
SPC Benson is the 1,879th American to die in Afghanistan … Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden
Latest 2012 Presidential Polls – 19 Jan 12 (pre-South Carolina Primary) Edition
The GOTP nominating circus, specifically the GOTP clown car, continues spinning wildly down the road, and it’s spun another wannabe out the window; a new Rasmussen Reports poll of likely voters conducted 17 Jan 12 has been released and the current poll results are:
Willard Mittens Romney 30; Newton “Benny Hill” Gingrich 27; Ricky “The Ric” Santorum 15 and Ronny Paul 13
The Palmetto State primary is Saturday and a new Rasmussen Reports poll of likely voters conducted on 18 Jan 12 shows Newt in the lead once again: Gingrich 33; Romney 31; Paul 13 and Santorum 11
Romney continues to lead strongly in Florida where the new CNN/Time poll of likely voters conducted on 13 – 17 Jan 12 has Romney 43; Santorum 19; Gingrich 18 and Paul 9
In the upcoming Nevada Caucus Romney leads in the latest Las Vegas Review-Journal poll: Romney 35; Gingrich 26; Paul 5; Perry 4; Huntsman and Santorum 1
Concerning how the GOTP candidates stack up against the President, the latest PPP (D) poll of registered voters conducted 13 – 16 Jan 12, if the general election were held today:
President Obama 49/Romney 44
President Obama 49/Gingrich 42
President Obama 50/Santorum 42
President Obama 47/Paul 42
Romney’s primary record went from 2-0 to 1-1, and may be 1-2 come Saturday; a suddenly clear victory is now a possibly long and drawn out primary process.
So, if the GOTP clown car had finally stopped spinning, and the general election was held today, Willard Mittens Romney would be the GOTP nominee, and he’d lose to President Obama in the general election.
Santorum wins Iowa?
The Associated Press is reporting that Republican Tea Party (GOTP) presidential wannabe Ricky Santorum actually won the Iowa Caucus two weeks ago, and not Willard Mittens Romney.
“There have been two contests,” Santorum said after hearing he actually was victorious. “We won one.”
Ricky reportedly bested Romney by 34 votes in the final tally of Iowa’s caucuses.
“This is a solid win. It’s a much stronger win than the win Gov. Romney claimed to have,” Santorum declared.
Romney of course, who won New Hampshire’s primary, is attempting to call the Iowa results a “virtual tie” while Santorum’s calling it a sign that any calls for him to leave were premature.
“We feel very, very good about what this win will mean,” Santorum said of Iowa’s fresh results. “It says that we can win elections. We can organize. We can put together an effort to pull the resources together to be able to be successful in being the person who can defeat Mitt Romney. Guess what? We defeated Mitt Romney in Iowa.”
Well, it could mean that, or it might just prove that conservative Iowans are still as weird as they were in 2008 when they gave the state to Mike Huckabee.
After “winning” in Iowa, Santorum’s busy trying to build a grass-roots organization of socially conservative Republicans, including pastors, similar to the one that apparently helped him finally finish on top in Iowa; but does the news of a win in Iowa come too late to make any difference in South Carolina? Probably, but the GOTP primary clown car has been spinning wildly back and forth for months now so with the current Tea Party bunch garnering so much power who can tell?
The Liberty Tree 