2006: Obama Against Raising Debt Ceiling

[Odysseus]

Take out the word NOT and I agree.

I really don't care what you agree with. My statement is accurate.

Clinton took the SS money and used it in the general fund , just like every other president.

And in the end the general fund surplus was largly made up of the SS money.

It was reported in the fiscal numbers.

Bush didn't report SS money in the fiscal numbers , it only showed up in the national debt numbers.

Neither of them reported the SS money in the budget deficit numbers. Look at the debt increases under Clinton. That borrowing was off-budget, just as Bush's was. They did the same thing, to the same effect. The difference is that Clinton didn't have a banking crisis on his hands (as both Bushes did, which drove up their spending), and that Clinton cut defense spending, creating a surplus in on-budget spending, but he still managed to increase the national debt with off-budget intra-government borrowing.

[Satanicus]

Neither of them reported the SS money in the budget deficit numbers..

That would mean this main GOP talking point is wrong.

"Clinton only had a surplus cause he counted the SS money"

[Odysseus]

That would mean this main GOP talking point is wrong.

"Clinton only had a surplus cause he counted the SS money"

You seem to have a serious reading comprehension problem. Did you go to school in a short bus, by any chance?

Once again, you tedious little fraction of a man: Clinton counted the SS money as revenues, but the borrowing was not counted as part of the deficit.

[NJCardFan]

You seem to have a serious reading comprehension problem. Did you go to school in a short bus, by any chance?

Once again, you tedious little fraction of a man: Clinton counted the SS money as revenues, but the borrowing was not counted as part of the deficit.

Dude, don't.

[lacarnut]

You seem to have a serious reading comprehension problem. Did you go to school in a short bus, by any chance?

Once again, you tedious little fraction of a man: Clinton counted the SS money as revenues, but the borrowing was not counted as part of the deficit.

This dufus does not understand that the 900 billion dollars collected from Social Security in 2010 was spent rather than placed in the Trust Fund. The Trust fund only has IOU's in there. Another fact that liberals do not understand is that there has never been a surplus IF you strip out the funds stolen by our politicians. LBJ started this thievery. The SS system was never meant to be a piggy bank for the politicians to rob.

[Constitutionally Speaking]

Welcome to the USA , this is how we operate , why are you NOW complaining about it ?

Bush raided SS every year and used it in the general fund , every President does.

And if there is STILL money left over , we call it a surplus.

Under Clinton , there was money left over , when the rest of the presidents did the same thing , there was no money left over.

HINT: "money left over" means surplus

Hint: money left over would mean a lower DEBT. That did not occur therefore there was no surplus.

[Zathras]

Hint: money left over would mean a lower DEBT. That did not occur therefore there was no surplus.

Also, money left over meant the government took in too much in taxes and should return it from where it came.

[Odysseus]

First, the good news: Unemployment dropped to 9.4% in December.
The bad news: It dropped because of seasonal hiring and the departure from the job market of people who are no longer looking for work.

The first statement has been touted heavily in the media. The second, not so much...