National debt by U.S. presidential terms
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This table lists the gross federal debt[1] as a percent of GDP by Presidential term since World War II.[2] It is currently the highest since 1955. For net jobs changes see Jobs created during U.S. presidential terms. The president and the United States Congress share responsibility for the deficit each year, although in periods when one party runs all branches of government it is easier to apportion blame.
| U.S. president | Party | Term years | Start debt/GDP* | End debt/GDP* | Increase debt ($T) | Increase debt/GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt/Truman | D | 1945-1949 | 117.5% | 93.2% | 0.05 | -24.3% |
| Harry Truman | D | 1949-1953 | 93.2% | 71.3% | 0.01 | -21.9% |
| Dwight Eisenhower | R | 1953-1957 | 71.3% | 60.5% | 0.01 | -10.8% |
| Dwight Eisenhower | R | 1957-1961 | 60.5% | 55.1% | 0.02 | -5.4% |
| Kennedy/Johnson | D | 1961-1965 | 55.1% | 46.9% | 0.03 | -8.2% |
| Lyndon Johnson | D | 1965-1969 | 46.9% | 38.6% | 0.05 | -8.3% |
| Richard Nixon | R | 1969-1973 | 38.6% | 35.7% | 0.07 | -2.9% |
| Nixon/Ford | R | 1973-1977 | 35.7% | 35.8% | 0.19 | +0.1% |
| Jimmy Carter | D | 1977-1981 | 35.8% | 32.6% | 0.18 | -3.2% |
| Ronald Reagan | R | 1981-1985 | 32.6% | 43.9% | 0.65 | +11.3% |
| Ronald Reagan | R | 1985-1989 | 43.9% | 53.1% | 1.04 | +9.2% |
| George H. W. Bush | R | 1989-1993 | 53.1% | 66.2% | 1.40 | +13.1% |
| Bill Clinton | D | 1993-1997 | 66.2% | 65.6% | 1.12 | -0.6% |
| Bill Clinton | D | 1997-2001 | 65.6% | 57.4% | 0.42 | -8.2% |
| George W. Bush | R | 2001-2005 | 57.4% | 64.3% | 1.15 | +6.9% |
| George W. Bush | R | 2005-2009 projection | 64.3% | 68.2% projection | +3.9% projection |
[edit] Federal spending, federal debt, and GDP
The below table shows the annual federal spending, gross federal debt, and gross domestic product for average presidential parties, specific presidential terms, and specific fiscal years.[3]
| Fiscal Year | Budget of President | Party of President | Federal Spending | Federal Debt | Gross Domestic Product | Inflation Adjustor | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billions | Adjusted | Increase | Billions | Adjusted | Increase | Billions | Adjusted | Increase | ||||
| 1978-2005 | Democratic | 9.9% | 4.2% | 12.6% | ||||||||
| 1978-2005 | Republican | 12.1% | 36.4% | 10.7% | ||||||||
| 1978-1981 | Carter | Democratic | $678 | $1,219 | 17.2% | $994 | $1,787 | -0.4% | $3,055 | $5,492 | 9.4% | |
| 1982-1985 | Reagan | Republican | $946 | $1,396 | 14.5% | $1,817 | $2,680 | 49.9% | $4,142 | $6,108 | 11.2% | |
| 1986-1989 | Reagan | Republican | $1,144 | $1,499 | 7.4% | $2,867 | $3,757 | 40.2% | $5,401 | $7,077 | 15.9% | |
| 1990-1993 | Bush | Republican | $1,410 | $1,615 | 7.8% | $4,351 | $4,987 | 32.7% | $6,576 | $7,536 | 6.5% | |
| 1994-1997 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,601 | $1,684 | 4.3% | $5,369 | $5,647 | 13.2% | $8,182 | $8,606 | 14.2% | |
| 1998-2001 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,863 | $1,821 | 8.1% | $5,769 | $5,638 | -0.2% | $10,058 | $9,829 | 14.2% | |
| 2002-2005 | Bush | Republican | $2,472 | $2,165 | 18.9% | $7,905 | $6,923 | 22.8% | $12,238 | $10,717 | 9.0% | |
| 1977 | Ford | Republican | $409 | $1,040 | $706 | $1,795 | $1,974 | $5,019 | 0.39 | |||
| 1978 | Carter | Democratic | $459 | $1,093 | 5.1% | $776 | $1,850 | 3.1% | $2,217 | $5,285 | 5.3% | 0.42 |
| 1979 | Carter | Democratic | $504 | $1,107 | 1.3% | $829 | $1,821 | -1.5% | $2,501 | $5,494 | 4.0% | 0.46 |
| 1980 | Carter | Democratic | $591 | $1,175 | 6.1% | $909 | $1,808 | -0.8% | $2,727 | $5,422 | -1.3% | 0.50 |
| 1981 | Carter | Democratic | $678 | $1,219 | 3.8% | $994 | $1,787 | -1.1% | $3,055 | $5,492 | 1.3% | 0.56 |
| 1982 | Reagan | Republican | $746 | $1,252 | 2.6% | $1,137 | $1,908 | 6.8% | $3,228 | $5,417 | -1.4% | 0.60 |
| 1983 | Reagan | Republican | $808 | $1,294 | 3.4% | $1,371 | $2,195 | 15.0% | $3,441 | $5,510 | 1.7% | 0.62 |
| 1984 | Reagan | Republican | $852 | $1,300 | 0.4% | $1,564 | $2,386 | 8.7% | $3,840 | $5,858 | 6.3% | 0.66 |
| 1985 | Reagan | Republican | $946 | $1,396 | 7.4% | $1,817 | $2,680 | 12.3% | $4,142 | $6,108 | 4.3% | 0.68 |
| 1986 | Reagan | Republican | $990 | $1,426 | 2.1% | $2,120 | $3,052 | 13.9% | $4,412 | $6,352 | 4.0% | 0.69 |
| 1987 | Reagan | Republican | $1,004 | $1,406 | -1.4% | $2,345 | $3,283 | 7.6% | $4,647 | $6,506 | 2.4% | 0.71 |
| 1988 | Reagan | Republican | $1,065 | $1,447 | 2.9% | $2,601 | $3,534 | 7.7% | $5,009 | $6,806 | 4.6% | 0.74 |
| 1989 | Reagan | Republican | $1,144 | $1,499 | 3.6% | $2,867 | $3,757 | 6.3% | $5,401 | $7,077 | 4.0% | 0.76 |
| 1990 | Bush | Republican | $1,253 | $1,590 | 6.1% | $3,206 | $4,067 | 8.3% | $5,735 | $7,277 | 2.8% | 0.79 |
| 1991 | Bush | Republican | $1,324 | $1,610 | 1.3% | $3,598 | $4,374 | 7.5% | $5,935 | $7,215 | -0.8% | 0.82 |
| 1992 | Bush | Republican | $1,382 | $1,624 | 0.9% | $4,001 | $4,703 | 7.5% | $6,240 | $7,334 | 1.7% | 0.85 |
| 1993 | Bush | Republican | $1,410 | $1,615 | -0.5% | $4,351 | $4,987 | 6.0% | $6,576 | $7,536 | 2.8% | 0.87 |
| 1994 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,462 | $1,642 | 1.7% | $4,643 | $5,216 | 4.6% | $6,961 | $7,820 | 3.8% | 0.89 |
| 1995 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,516 | $1,662 | 1.2% | $4,920 | $5,395 | 3.4% | $7,326 | $8,033 | 2.7% | 0.91 |
| 1996 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,561 | $1,673 | 0.7% | $5,181 | $5,554 | 3.0% | $7,694 | $8,248 | 2.7% | 0.93 |
| 1997 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,601 | $1,684 | 0.7% | $5,369 | $5,647 | 1.7% | $8,182 | $8,606 | 4.3% | 0.95 |
| 1998 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,653 | $1,721 | 2.2% | $5,478 | $5,704 | 1.0% | $8,628 | $8,985 | 4.4% | 0.96 |
| 1999 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,702 | $1,746 | 1.5% | $5,605 | $5,750 | 0.8% | $9,125 | $9,361 | 4.2% | 0.97 |
| 2000 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,789 | $1,789 | 2.5% | $5,628 | $5,628 | -2.1% | $9,710 | $9,710 | 3.7% | 1.00 |
| 2001 | Clinton | Democratic | $1,863 | $1,821 | 1.8% | $5,769 | $5,638 | 0.2% | $10,058 | $9,829 | 1.2% | 1.02 |
| 2002 | Bush | Republican | $2,011 | $1,929 | 6.0% | $6,198 | $5,945 | 5.5% | $10,377 | $9,954 | 1.3% | 1.04 |
| 2003 | Bush | Republican | $2,160 | $2,018 | 4.6% | $6,760 | $6,316 | 6.2% | $10,809 | $10,099 | 1.4% | 1.07 |
| 2004 | Bush | Republican | $2,293 | $2,082 | 3.2% | $7,354 | $6,677 | 5.7% | $11,500 | $10,441 | 3.4% | 1.10 |
| 2005 | Bush | Republican | $2,472 | $2,165 | 4.0% | $7,905 | $6,923 | 3.7% | $12,238 | $10,717 | 2.6% | 1.14 |
| 2006 | Bush | Republican | $2,655 | $2,249 | 3.9% | $8,451 | $7,158 | 3.4% | $13,016 | $11,024 | 2.9% | 1.18 |
| 2007 | Bush | Republican | $2,730 | $2,263 | 0.6% | $8,951 | $7,419 | 3.6% | $13,668 | $11,329 | 2.8% | 1.21 |
Formula notes
- The dollar amounts for each presidential term are taken from the last fiscal year in that term.
- The increase in each presidential term is the increase in the adjusted amount from the last fiscal year of the previous term to the last fiscal year of the current term.
- The values for the average presidential parties are the average of all the presidents in each party.
[edit] References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2007.
- ^ Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2009.
