Credit Where it's due: Obama was right.

What a difference 3+ years makes!

Does anybody remember this moment in Fargo, ND, when then-Senator Obama said this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyLmru6no4U ?

“ The problem is, is that the way that Bush has done it over the last eight years, is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China (*) in the name of our children, driving up our National Debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 Presidents, number 43 added $4 trillion all by his lonesome, so that we now have over $9 trillion of debt that, that we are going to have to pay back. $30 thousand for every man, woman, and child. That’s irresponsible. It’s un-patriotic.”

I believe in giving credit where it’s due, and Mr Obama was right. Adding $4 trillion over eight years was absolutely irresponsible and reckless. And those who were screaming about it had every right to do so. It was reckless, and it remains reckless.

But now we fast-forward to today, 20-MAR-2012. From CBS News no less, we learn this:

“(CBS News) The National Debt has now increased more during President Obama's three years and two months in office than it did during 8 years of the George W. Bush presidency.
The Debt rose $4.899 trillion during the two terms of the Bush presidency. It has now gone up $4.939 trillion since President Obama took office.

The latest posting from the Bureau of Public Debt at the Treasury Department shows the National Debt now stands at $15.566 trillion. It was $10.626 trillion on President Bush's last day in office, which coincided with President Obama's first day.

The National Debt also now exceeds 100% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, the total value of goods and services.

Mr. Obama has been quick to blame his predecessor for the soaring Debt, saying Mr. Bush paid for two wars and a Medicare prescription drug program with borrowed funds.

The federal budget sent to Congress last month by Mr. Obama, projects the National Debt will continue to rise as far as the eye can see. The budget shows the Debt hitting $16.3 trillion in 2012, $17.5 trillion in 2013 and $25.9 trillion in 2022.” (**)

However, with only a very few exceptions, those who were screaming the loudest about Mr Bush’s folly have remained strangely mute now.

Mr Bush added, according to CBS, $4.899 trillion to our debt over eight years.
Mr Obama added, according to CBS, $4.939 trillion over just over THREE years.

Oops.

If what Mr Bush did was un-patriotic, which I agree it was, isn’t what Mr Obama’s done also un-patriotic?

Just asking.

(*) – This isn’t actually what it’s called. But at least Mr Obama correctly labeled China as a country. The citizens of Eau Claire, WI, however were quite surprised when Mr Obama referred to being in the State of Eau Claire. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7gXEQmE_SI ) (This must be one of the 57 he said he’d been in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws )

(**) - http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/

This next link doesn’t actually have anything to do with this article, but I really enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBF6iZfguF0