LETTER: Debt rises under Republican leadership

Rob G.
03/16/2010 4:10 PM

The President does not have the "Power of the Purse". That is a very correct statement. However, Ron Kind does not hold that power either. Ron Kind is one of 535 members of Congress who collectively hold the power of the purse. To blame the national debt on Kind... is foolish. To blame it on a single President... is foolish. To blame the debt on a political party... is foolish. To claim that Democrats are spending money at a record pace... you first need to realize that EVERY Republican Governor took stimulus money for their State. Much the same way that Wealthy Democrats didn't complain too loudly about their Bush tax cuts. The fact of the matter is, that the U.S. government is expensive to run. In order to maintain our status as the only Global Hegemon, we need to be willing to spend a few dollars. Regardless of who is in control of Congress, or the White-house... Money will be spent.

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JPNelson n.
03/13/2010 2:02 PM

Steve H: I certainly never said the President had the power to write the check. My letter was in response to Ziller blaming the national debt on Ron Kind. You can see from Dave H's response below that he wants to blame it on Obama. My point is, regardless who is President, the debt has been increasing. Time will tell if a record pace it achieved. I find it interesting the Republicans and Democrats both have a hard time facing the truth about the political parties. Ziller has every right to take Kind in to the woodshed. He's doing his job as a faithful member of the Republican Party who is trying to get a Republican elected to Kind's seat. That how party politics works. I felt the need to inject some facts into the debate. Let me know if my math or numbers are wrong. Bush helped run up the debt with his $2 trillion tax cut. A tax cut with increase spending (two wars and medicare drug benefit...approved with a Republican congress and 50-50 Senate) drives up the debt. In case you haven't noticed, we are in a big recession and fighting two wars. The recession cuts into the cash flow that runs the government and the wars cost money. If I recall my history correctly, these things were going on when Obama was inaugurated President in January 2009.

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Dave H.
New Richmond, WI     03/06/2010 7:22 PM

James, my statement was that he is on record setting pace. That is a fact. I made no prediction of what will happen next year. Here's some powerball numbers anyway, if it will make you feel better... 4, 11, 19, 21, 27, 44. Good luck. By the way, I agree with you 100% that both sides are to blame for the enormous debt.

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Steve H.
Hudson, WI     03/06/2010 11:51 AM

Mr. Nelson - if you're going to state "facts", why don't you mention the one how the President doesn't have the power to write a check? Of all the debt you listed, why is it you fail to mention how much debt was pushed through while under a Democrat controlled congress versus a Republican one? Ziller is correct in taking Kind to the woodshed, but blaming Bush for debt incurred while under a Democrat controlled congress is just plain wrong-headed thinking.

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James W.
03/06/2010 9:23 AM

Dave H, since you seem to have the power to read into the future could you please tell me what power ball numbers I should pick for tonights drawing? There is enough blame to be put on both sides of the aisle and until both Parties come to the realization that they were elected to do the bidding of the people, all the people and that compromise is a term that once again comes into vogue nothing will get done and we will all suffer. Jim W Somerset, WI

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Dave H.
New Richmond, WI     03/06/2010 3:08 AM

You realize that Obama added his 1.8 trillion in just 1 year, right? Looks like he's on a record setting pace. Congratulations!!!

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