"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" wrote in message
ups.com...
Let's face it: as far as deficits go, Clinton was the best President in
the past 25 (or more) years.

More Kool Aid?

I think the problem that conservatives had with Clinton was that he
spent more on social programs than the military or corporate welfare.

Clinton couldn't spend anything any more than any other President can,
only
Congress can do that.

Of course. But who presents the budget to Congress and sets the budget
priorities and agenda? (Hint: the President)(Another hint: bushie just
presented one to Congress with (guess what?) more deficits.)

So if, as you say, the President has nothing to do with spending money,
then why have we been dealing with these huge deficits again, given
that the republicans have had the majority since 1994 and are the
allegedly fiscally responsible party?

Because Congress gave him what he wanted.
You're still not clear on the fact that I'm not a Republican and that I
don't rubber stamp their every action, are you?

There were deficits for a long time before the GOP got control of both
houses and you hardly heard a peep from the left. Deficit spending came
into being under a Democrat President and stayed that way for as long as
they had control of both houses. It wasn't until the Contract With America
or thereabouts, that the Dems decided there was something that could get
them some votes by endorisng paying down the deficit.

The President can ask for things but Congress has to vote for it, if they
don't he gets bupkis.

As a general rule, the GOP is more responsible. Currently there is a battle
going on to end or at least cripple the efforts of Terrorists that is
unprecedented. If we go into a bit of debt becuase of this and it makes the
world a bit safer, it will in the long run, it will be money well spent.
Stopping the pork and the corporate welfare will go a long way toward
reducing the debt.

What specific things did Clinton do that reduced the deficit?