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History of the United States public debt

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US federal debt held by the public as a percentage of GDP, from 1790 to 2009

In the United States, national debt is money borrowed by the federal government of the United States. Debt burden is usually measured as a ratio of public debt to gross domestic product (GDP).

Debt as a share of the US economy reached a maximum during Harry Truman's first presidential term. Public debt as a percentage of GDP fell rapidly in the post-World War II period, and reached a low in 1973 under President Richard Nixon. The debt burden has consistently increased since then, except during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. In recent years sharp increases in deficits and the resulting increases in debt have led to heightened concern about the long-term sustainability of the federal government's fiscal policies.[1]

Early history

Except for about a year during 1835–1836, the United States has continuously held a public debt since the US Constitution legally went into effect on March 4, 1789. Debts incurred during the American Revolutionary War and under the Articles of Confederation amounted to $75,463,476.52 on January 1, 1791. From 1796 to 1811 there were 14 budget surpluses and 2 deficits. There was a sharp increase in the debt as a result of the War of 1812. In the 20 years following that war, there were 18 surpluses. The United States actually paid off its debt entirely in January 1835, only to begin accruing debt anew by 1836 (the debt on January 1, 1836 was $37,000).[2][3]

Another sharp increase in the debt occurred as a result of the Civil War. The debt was just $65 million in 1860, but passed $1 billion in 1863 and reached $2.7 billion by the end of the war. During the following 47 years, there were 36 surpluses and 11 deficits. During this period 55% of the national debt was paid off.

The next period of major increase in the national debt took place during World War I, reaching $25.5 billion at its conclusion. It was followed by 11 consecutive surpluses and saw the debt reduced by 36%.

Social programs enacted during the Great Depression and the buildup and involvement in World War II during the F.D. Roosevelt and Truman presidencies in the 1930s and 1940s caused the largest increase – a sixteenfold increase in the gross public debt from $16 billion in 1930 to $260 billion in 1950. When Roosevelt took office in 1933, the national debt was almost $20 billion; a sum equal to 20 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). During its first term, the Roosevelt administration ran large annual deficits between 2 and 5 percent of GDP. By 1936, the national debt had increased to $33.7 billion or approximately 40 percent of GDP.[4] Gross debt relative to GDP rose to over 100% of GDP to pay for the mobilization before and during World War II.

After World War II

U.S. federal debt held by the public as a percentage of GDP, from 1940 to 2012.

The debt burden fell rapidly after the end of World War II, as the US and the rest of the world experienced a post-war economic expansion. However, growth rates in the western countries began to slow in the mid-1960s. Beginning in the mid-1970s and afterwards, U.S. government debt began to increase faster than GDP.[5][6] In 1974 Congressional Budget Act reformed budget process in order to allow Congress to challenge the president's budget more easily and as a consequence deficit became increasingly difficult to control.[7] Debt held by the public as a share of GDP increased from its post-World War II low of 24.6% in 1974 to 26.2% in 1980.[8]

From 1981 to 1989, nominal debt held by public nearly tripled. On the one hand, President Ronald Reagan increased military spending and lowered tax rates. (Reagan slashed the top income tax rate from 70% to 28%, although bills passed in 1982 and 1984 later partially reversed those tax cuts.)[7][9] On the other hand, congressional Democrats blocked attempts to reverse spending on social programs.[7][9] Because of the budget deficits that resulted, debt held by the public as a share of GDP increased from 26.2% in 1980 to 41% by the end of the 1980s.[8]

Debt held by the public had risen to nearly 50% of GDP in the early 1990s, but fell to 39% of GDP by the end of the decade. The public debt burden during the presidency of Bill Clinton between 1993 and 2001, fell due in part to decreased militarily spending after Cold War, 1990, 1993 and 1997 budget deals, gridlock between White House and Congress, and increased tax revenue resulting from "the booming economy and huge gains in the stock markets, the so-called Dot-com bubble."[10][11][12] The budget controls instituted in the 1990s successfully restrained fiscal action by the Congress and the President and together with economic growth contributed to the budget surpluses that materialized by the end of the decade. These surpluses led to a decline in the debt held by the public, and from fiscal years 1998 through 2001, the debt-to-GDP measure declined from about 43 percent to about 33 percent.[13]

Debt relative to GDP rose due to recessions and policy decisions in the early 21st century. From 2000 to 2008 debt held by the public rose from 35% to 40%, and to 62% by the end of fiscal year 2010.[14] During the presidency of George W. Bush, the gross public debt increased from $5.7 trillion in January 2001 to $10.7 trillion by December 2008,[15] due to decreasing tax rates and two unpaid wars. Federal spending under President George W. Bush remained at around 40% of GDP during his two terms in office. Public debt increased in the aftermath of the global financial crisis and the late-2000s recession. Public debt increased to 63% of GDP by the end of 2010, mainly due to decreased tax revenue, and the stimulus and tax cuts enacted in response by President Barack Obama.[16] By February 2012, public debt had increased to $15.5 trillion.[17]

Changes in debt by political affiliation

Time series of U.S. public debt overlaid with party affiliation of the President. The upper graph shows the U.S. public debt in trillions of USD while the lower graph shows the U.S. public debt as a percentage of GDP. (Data are from the 2009 U.S. Budget.)

The President proposes the budget for the government to the US Congress. Congress may change the budget, but it rarely appropriates more than what the President requests.[18]

Economist Mike Kimel notes that the former Democratic Presidents (Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and Harry S. Truman) all reduced public debt as a share of GDP while the last four Republican Presidents (George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford) all oversaw an increase in the country's indebtedness.[19] Economic historian J. Bradford DeLong, former Clinton Treasury Department official, observes a contrast not so much between Republicans and Democrats, but between Democrats and "old-style Republicans (Eisenhower and Nixon)" on one hand (decreasing debt), and "new-style Republicans" on the other (increasing debt).[20][21] David Stockman, director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan, as op-ed contributor to the New York Times, blamed the "ideological tax-cutters" of the Reagan administration for the increase of national debt during the 1980s.[22] Bruce Bartlett, former domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan and Treasury official under President George H.W. Bush, attributes the increase in the national debt since the 1980s to the policy of "starve the beast".[23][24] While noting that George H.W. Bush's budget deal was one of the reasons for improvement in fiscal situation in 1990s and ultimately for budget surplus, Bartlett is highly critical of George W. Bush for creating budget deficits by reducing taxes and increasing spending.[25][26]

2011 credit rating downgrade

Main article: United States federal government credit-rating downgrade, 2011

On August 5, 2011, after Congress 2011 U.S. debt-ceiling crisis of the United States federal government, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded the credit rating of the United States federal government from AAA to AA+. It was the first time the US had been downgraded since it was originally given a AAA rating on its debt by Moody's in 1917.[27] According to the BBC, Standard & Poor's had "lost confidence" in the ability of the United States government to make decisions.[28]

Together with the budget deficit, the political climate at the time was one of the reasons given by Standard & Poor's to revise the outlook on the US sovereign credit rating down to negative on April 18, 2011.[29] Standard and Poor's downgraded the credit rating by one notch from AAA to AA+ on August 5, 2011, for the first time ever. The long-term outlook is negative and it could lower the rating further to AA within the next 2 years.[30][31] The downgrade was met with severe criticism from the Obama administration, commentators, and other political figures.[32][33] The US still has a AAA rating from other ratings agencies.

Causes of recent changes in debt

Public debt is the cumulative result of budget deficits; that is, government spending exceeding revenues.

2001 vs. 2009

Causes of change in Federal spending as % GDP 2001–2009 from CBO Data

According to the CBO, the U.S. last had a surplus during fiscal year (FY) 2001. From FY2001 to FY2009, at the height of the Global Financial Crisis, spending increased by 6.5% of GDP (from 18.2% of GDP to 24.7%) while taxes declined by 4.7% of GDP (from 19.5% of GDP to 14.8%). Spending increases (expressed as % of GDP) were in the following areas: Medicare & Medicaid (1.7%), defense (1.6%), income security such as unemployment benefits and food stamps (1.4%), social security (0.6%) and all other categories (1.2%). Revenue reductions were individual income taxes (−3.3%), payroll taxes (−0.5%), corporate income taxes (−0.5%) and other (−0.4%).

The 2009 spending level is the highest relative to GDP in 40 years, while the tax receipts are the lowest relative to GDP in 40 years. The next highest spending year was 1985 (22.8%) while the next lowest tax year was 2004 (16.1%).[34]

2001 vs. 2011

Cause of change between CBO's 2001 projection of a $5.6 trillion surplus between 2002–2012 and the $6.1 trillion debt increase that actually occurred.

In June 2012, CBO summarized the cause of change between its January 2001 estimate of a $5.6 trillion cumulative surplus between 2002 and 2011 and the actual $6.1 trillion cumulative deficit that occurred, an unfavorable "turnaround" or debt increase of $11.7 trillion. Tax cuts and slower-than-expected growth reduced revenues by $6.1 trillion and spending was $5.6 trillion higher. Of this total, the CBO attributes 72% to legislated tax cuts and spending increases and 27% to economic and technical factors. Of the latter, 56% occurred from 2009 to 2011.[35][36]

The difference between the projected and actual debt in 2011 can be largely attributed to:

  • $3.5 trillion – Economic changes (including lower than expected tax revenues and higher safety net spending due to recession)
  • $1.6 trillion – Bush Tax Cuts (EGTRRA and JGTRRA), primarily tax cuts but also some smaller spending increases
  • $1.5 trillion – Increased non-defense discretionary spending
  • $1.4 trillion – Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
  • $1.4 trillion – Incremental interest due to higher debt balances
  • $0.9 trillion – Obama stimulus and tax cuts (ARRA and Tax Act of 2010)[36]

The U.S. budget situation has deteriorated significantly since 2001, when the CBO forecast average annual surpluses of approximately $850 billion from 2009–2012. The average deficit forecast in each of those years as of June 2009 was approximately $1,215 billion. The New York Times analyzed this roughly $2 trillion "swing", separating the causes into four major categories along with their share:

  • Recessions or the business cycle (37%);
  • Policies enacted by President Bush (33%);
  • Policies enacted by President Bush and supported or extended by President Obama (20%); and
  • New policies from President Obama (10%).

Several other articles and experts explained the causes of change in the debt position.[37][38][39]

2008 vs. 2009

In October 2009, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) gave the reasons for the higher budget deficit in 2009 ($1,410 billion, i.e. $1.41 trillion) over that of 2008 ($460 billion). The major changes included: declines in tax receipt of $320 billion due to the effects of the recession and another $100 billion due to tax cuts in the stimulus bill (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act or ARRA); $245 billion for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and other bailout efforts; $100 billion in additional spending for ARRA; and another $185 billion due to increases in primary budget categories such as Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, Social Security, and Defense – including the war effort in Afghanistan and Iraq. This was the highest budget deficit relative to GDP (9.9%) since 1945.[40] The national debt increased by $1.9 trillion during FY2009, versus the $1.0 trillion increase during 2008.[41]

The Obama Administration also made four significant accounting changes to more accurately report the total spending by the federal government. The four changes were:

  1. accounting for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ("overseas military contingencies") in the budget rather than through the use of supplemental appropriations;
  2. assuming the Alternative Minimum Tax will be indexed for inflation;
  3. accounting for the full costs of Medicare reimbursements; and
  4. anticipating the inevitable expenditures for natural disaster relief.

According to administration officials, these changes will make the debt over ten years look $2.7 trillion larger than it would otherwise appear.[42]

Historical debt levels

Gross federal debt

This table lists the gross U.S. federal debt[43] as a percentage of GDP by number Congress since World War II.[44] The current gross federal debt as a percentage of GDP (102.7% at the end of 2012) is currently the highest it has been since the late 1940s. The debt has reached over 100% of GDP for the first time the aftermath of World War II.

Congress Session Years President Start debt/GDP End debt/GDP Increase debt
(in Billions of $) 		Increase debt/GDP
(in percentage points)
77–78 1941–1945 Roosevelt 50.4% 117.5% +203 +67.1%
79–80 1945–1949 Roosevelt, Truman 117.5% 93.1% -8 -24.4%
81–82 1949–1953 Truman 93.1% 71.4% +13 -21.7%
83–84 1953–1957 Eisenhower 71.4% 60.4% +6 -11.0%
85–86 1957–1961 Eisenhower 60.4% 55.2% +20 -5.2%
87–88 1961–1965 Kennedy, Johnson 55.2% 46.9% +30 -8.3%
89–90 1965–1969 Johnson 46.9% 38.6% +43 -8.3%
91–92 1969–1973 Nixon 38.6% 35.6% +101 -3.0%
93–94 1973–1977 Nixon, Ford 35.6% 35.8% +177 +0.2%
95–96 1977–1981 Carter 35.8% 32.5% +288 -3.3%
97–98 1981–1985 Reagan 32.5% 43.8% +823 +11.3%
99–100 1985–1989 Reagan 43.8% 53.1% +1,050 +9.3%
101–102 1989–1993 Bush Sr. 53.1% 66.1% +1,483 +13.0%
103–104 1993–1997 Clinton 66.1% 65.4% +1,018 -0.7%
105–106 1997–2001 Clinton 65.4% 56.4% +401 -9.0%
107–108 2001–2005 Bush 56.4% 63.5% +2,135 +7.1%
109–110 2005–2009 Bush 63.5% 84.2% +3,971 +20.7%
111–112 2009–2013 Obama 84.2% 102.7% +6,061 +18.5%

(Source: CBO Historical Budget Page and Whitehouse FY 2012 Budget – Table 7.1 Federal Debt at the End of Year PDF, Excel, Senate.gov)

Notes:

Publicly held debt

Publicly held debt is the gross debt minus intra-governmental obligations (such as the money that the government owes to the two Social Security Trust Funds, the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program, and the Social Security Disability Insurance program).[45]

Federal debt held by the public as a percentage of GDP. The extended-baseline scenario projection adheres closely to current law, while the alternative fiscal scenario incorporates several changes to current law that are widely expected to occur.

Federal spending, federal debt, and GDP

The table below shows the annual federal spending, gross federal debt, and gross domestic product specific fiscal years.[46] The government fiscal year runs from October 1 (of the previous calendar year) to September 30, budgets are enacted before the November general elections.

Fiscal Year Federal Spending Federal Debt Gross Domestic Product Inflation Adjustor[47]
Billions[48] Adjusted[49] Increase Billions[50] Adjusted[51] Percentage Increase Billions[52] Adjusted[53] Increase
1977 $409 $1,040 $706 $1,795 $1,974 $5,019 0.39
1978 $459 $1,093 5.1% $776 $1,850 3.1% $2,217 $5,285 5.3% 0.42
1979 $504 $1,107 1.3% $829 $1,821 −1.5% $2,501 $5,494 4.0% 0.46
1980 $591 $1,175 6.1% $909 $1,808 −0.8% $2,727 $5,422 −1.3% 0.50
1981 $678 $1,219 3.8% $994 $1,787 −1.1% $3,055 $5,492 1.3% 0.56
1982 $746 $1,252 2.6% $1,137 $1,908 6.8% $3,228 $5,417 −1.4% 0.60
1983 $808 $1,294 3.4% $1,371 $2,195 15.0% $3,441 $5,510 1.7% 0.62
1984 $852 $1,300 0.4% $1,564 $2,386 8.7% $3,840 $5,858 6.3% 0.66
1985 $946 $1,396 7.4% $1,817 $2,680 12.3% $4,142 $6,108 4.3% 0.68
1986 $990 $1,426 2.1% $2,120 $3,052 13.9% $4,412 $6,352 4.0% 0.69
1987 $1,004 $1,406 −1.4% $2,345 $3,283 7.6% $4,647 $6,506 2.4% 0.71
1988 $1,065 $1,447 2.9% $2,601 $3,534 7.7% $5,009 $6,806 4.6% 0.74
1989 $1,144 $1,499 3.6% $2,867 $3,757 6.3% $5,401 $7,077 4.0% 0.76
1990 $1,253 $1,590 6.1% $3,206 $4,067 8.3% $5,735 $7,277 2.8% 0.79
1991 $1,324 $1,610 1.3% $3,598 $4,374 7.5% $5,935 $7,215 −0.8% 0.82
1992 $1,382 $1,624 0.9% $4,001 $4,703 7.5% $6,240 $7,334 1.7% 0.85
1993 $1,410 $1,615 −0.5% $4,351 $4,987 6.0% $6,576 $7,536 2.8% 0.87
1994 $1,462 $1,642 1.7% $4,643 $5,216 4.6% $6,961 $7,820 3.8% 0.89
1995 $1,516 $1,662 1.2% $4,920 $5,395 3.4% $7,326 $8,033 2.7% 0.91
1996 $1,561 $1,673 0.7% $5,181 $5,554 3.0% $7,694 $8,248 2.7% 0.93
1997 $1,601 $1,684 0.7% $5,369 $5,647 1.7% $8,182 $8,606 4.3% 0.95
1998 $1,653 $1,721 2.2% $5,478 $5,704 1.0% $8,628 $8,985 4.4% 0.96
1999 $1,702 $1,746 1.5% $5,605 $5,750 0.8% $9,125 $9,361 4.2% 0.97
2000 $1,789 $1,789 2.5% $5,628 $5,628 −2.1% $9,710 $9,710 3.7% 1.00
2001 $1,863 $1,821 1.8% $5,769 $5,638 0.2% $10,058 $9,829 1.2% 1.02
2002 $2,011 $1,929 6.0% $6,198 $5,945 5.5% $10,377 $9,954 1.3% 1.04
2003 $2,160 $2,018 4.6% $6,760 $6,316 6.2% $10,809 $10,099 1.4% 1.07
2004 $2,293 $2,082 3.2% $7,354 $6,677 5.7% $11,500 $10,441 3.4% 1.10
2005 $2,472 $2,165 4.0% $7,905 $6,923 3.7% $12,238 $10,717 2.6% 1.14
2006 $2,655 $2,249 3.9% $8,451 $7,158 3.4% $13,016 $11,024 2.9% 1.18
2007 $2,730 $2,263 0.6% $8,951 $7,419 3.6% $13,668 $11,329 2.8% 1.21
2008 $2,931 $2,366 4.6% $9,654 $7,793 5.0% $14,312 $11,553 0% 1.24
2009* $3,107 $2,452 3.6% $10,413 $8,218 5.5% $14,097 $11,529 2.6% 1.27
2010* $3,091 $2,392 −2.4% $11,875 $9,247 12.5% $14,508 $11,297 −2.0% 1.29

Note: The values for the years 2009, and 2010 represent estimates from the source material.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Federal Debt: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Government Accountability Office.
  2. ^ "Bureau of the Public Debt: The 19th Century". Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  3. ^ "PolitiFact: Fla. senator says Jan. 8, 1835, is the only day U.S. has been debt free". Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  4. ^ "Making dollars and sense of the U.S. government debt" (PDF). Retrieved Summer 18, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ^ The End of Growth, (September 2011) ISBN 978-0-86571-695-7
  6. ^ Cooper, Story, Michael, Louise (July 27, 2011). "Q. and A. on the Debt Ceiling". New York Times. Retrieved December 26, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b c Dennis S. Ippolito. Why Budgets Matter: Budget Policy and American Politics. Penn State Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-271-02260-4. p. 185-186
  8. ^ a b "Congressional Budget Office – Historical Data on the Federal Debt". cbo.gov. 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  9. ^ a b Sahadi, Jeanne (September 12, 2010). "Taxes: What people forget about Reagan". CNN Money. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  10. ^ http://www.factcheck.org/2008/02/the-budget-and-deficit-under-clinton/
  11. ^ Kessler, Glenn (January 24, 2012). "Fact checking the NBC Florida debate". The Washington Post.
  12. ^ Kessler, Glenn (July 1, 2011). "Barbara Boxer's blatant rewriting of history". The Washington Post.
  13. ^ Federal Debt: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: An Upadate – U.S. Government Accountability Office
  14. ^ "CBO Historical Tables – 1970 to 2010" (PDF). Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  15. ^ United States Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt (December 2010). "The debt to the penny and who holds it". TreasuryDirect. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  16. ^ Tritch, Teresa (July 23, 2011). "How the Deficit Got This Big - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  17. ^ "Monthly Statement of the Public Debt of the United States- February 29, 2012" (PDF). Treasury Department. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  18. ^ Fisher, Louis (Nov. – Dec. 1990). "Federal Budget Doldrums: The Vacuum in Presidential Leadership". Public Administration Review. 50 (6): 693–700. doi:10.2307/976984. JSTOR 976984. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ Kimel, Mike (December 4, 2007). "The Republican Party and the National Debt". angrybearblog.com. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  20. ^ Brad DeLong (November 20, 2009). "Comparing Debt-to-GDP Ratios with Presidential Terms". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved August 9, 2010. contrast between the Democrats and the old-style Republicans (Eisenhower and Nixon) on the one hand and the new-style Republicans on the other is quite striking.
  21. ^ Brad DeLong (May 1, 2008). "Short-Term Costs of Long-Run Fiscal Stupidity – Grasping Reality with Both Hands". Delong.typepad.com. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  22. ^ Stockman, David (July 31, 2010). "Four Deformations of the Apocalypse". New York Times. nytimes.com. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  23. ^ Bartlett, Bruce (May 7, 2011). "Tax Cuts And 'Starving The Beast'". Forbes.com. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  24. ^ Bartlett, Bruce (November 26, 2010). "Starve the Beast: Just Bull, not Good Economics". The Fiscal Times. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  25. ^ Bartlett, Bruce (April 9, 2009). "We Need A Party of Fiscal Responsibility". Forbes.com. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  26. ^ Bartlett, Bruce (June 25, 2010). "A Budget Deal That Did Reduce the Deficit". The Fiscal Times. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  27. ^ "S&P, in historical move, downgrades U.S. credit rating". Xinhua. August 6, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  28. ^ "'No credible plan to cut US debt'". BBC. August 6, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  29. ^ "U.S. credit outlook cut by S&P on deficit concerns". New York. Reuters. April 18, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2011. "Because the U.S. has, relative to its AAA peers, what we consider to be very large budget deficits and rising government indebtedness, and the path to addressing these is not clear to us, we have revised our outlook on the long-term rating to negative from stable", S&P said in a release.
  30. ^ Detrixhe, John (August 5, 2011). "U.S. Loses AAA Credit Rating as S&P Slams Debt, Politics". Bloomberg.
  31. ^ "S&P cuts US debt rating to double A plus". August 6, 2011.
  32. ^ Klein, Ezra (February 24, 2011). "Five thoughts on the potential S&P downgrade". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  33. ^ "S&P and the USA". Krugman.blogs.nytimes.com. August 5, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  34. ^ http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/108xx/doc10871/HistoricalTables.pdf
  35. ^ NYT-Bruce Bartlett-The Fiscal Legacy of George W. Bush-June 2012
  36. ^ a b CBO-Changes in CBO's Baseline Projections Since 2001
  37. ^ Leonhardt, David (June 9, 2009). "NYT – Americas Sea of Red Ink Was Years in the Making". The New York Times. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  38. ^ "Charlie Rose Show-Peter Orszag Interview-November 3, 2009". Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  39. ^ "Pew Charitable Trusts-The Great Debt Shift-April 2011" (PDF). Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  40. ^ "CBO Monthly Budget Review-October 2009" (PDF). Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  41. ^ "Bureau of the Public Debt/Treasury Direct-Debt changes from September 30, 2008 to September 30, 2009". Treasurydirect.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  42. ^ Calmes, Jackie (February 20, 2009). "Obama Bans Gimmicks, and Deficit Will Rise". The New York Times. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  43. ^ The gross federal debt includes intra-government debt, i.e. money owed by one branch of the federal government to another. When this amount is subtracted the remaining quantity is known as the public debt.
  44. ^ Budget FY2007
  45. ^ Frontline – Ten Trillion and Counting: Defining the Debt
  46. ^ Budget FY 2009
  47. ^ Budget FY2009. Addendum: Composite Deflator, page 26. Divide current dollars by this number to produce value in (constant) FY2000 dollars.
  48. ^ Budget FY2009. Outlays in current dollars, page 26.
  49. ^ Budget FY2009. Outlays in current dollars, page 26, divided by Inflation Adjustor.
  50. ^ Budget FY 2009. Gross Federal Debt in current dollars, page 127.
  51. ^ Budget FY 2009. Gross Federal Debt in current dollars, page 127, divided by Inflation Adjustor.
  52. ^ Budget FY2009. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in current dollars, page 194.
  53. ^ Budget FY2009. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in current dollars, page 194, divided by Inflation Adjustor.

References

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