"Didn't Clinton essentially have a balanced budget? " No, unless you believe in the "cooked books" approach to governance. "The Republican party's lasting accomplishment has been to take us from surpluses, like forever, to deficits forever." While I won't defend the pubbies for their feckless lack of fiscal restraint they are absolute pikers when compared to the dhimmicrats. No one can spend (other people's money) like the left.