“Well, either the President misunderstood the point or he just hasn’t been well informed. If you look at the 12 years when Republicans controlled the Congress, the average annual deficit was about $104 billion. I’m not proud of that number. That’s too high. But in the three years that Democrats have controlled Congress, the average annual deficit is now $1.1 Trillion. Do the math… But when it comes to spending we’re rank amateurs compared to these guys.”
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
Morning Joe
February 1, 2010
There is a difference.
Rep. Jeb Hensarling didn’t appreciate being called a liar by President Obama during his meeting with House Republicans on Friday. Today he once again set the record straight.
Video via the Patriot Room:
Rep. Jeb Hensarling posted this update on his website today:
UPDATED: Hensarling Statement On The President’s Appearance At GOP Retreat
“I have great respect for President Obama… But, again, he didn’t answer my specific question on whether he would continue us on a path to tripling the national debt and increasing government spending to 24.5% of the economy.”UPDATE: “How did you arrive at the conclusion that what were the old annual deficits under Republicans have now become the monthly deficits under Democrats? And what is the back-up?”
In the 12 years that Republicans controlled the House, the average deficit was $104 billion (average of final deficit/surplus FY1996-FY2007 data taken from Table F-1 below). In just 3 years under Democrats, the average deficit is now almost $1.1 trillion (average of final deficit/surplus FY2008 and 2009 data taken from Table F-1; FY2010 data taken from Table 1-3). Source: CBO January 2010 Budget and Economic Outlook http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/108xx/doc10871/Chapter1.shtml
It’s just too bad that Hensarling had to come back on television to defend himself today. But he had to since the state-run media had no desire to fact-check President Obama’s inaccurate attacks on him last week.
