Budgets of the last Presidents.

Reagan:
• The first budget — passed by all Republicans and a few conservative Southern Democrats. ◦ This increased the debt by $144 Billion.

• The next 5 budgets — passed by the Republican Senate and signed by Reagan.
• The last 2 budgets — passed by a Democratic Congress ◦ Totalled slightly less than Reagan requested.

•G. W. H. Bush:
• Democratic Congresses under Bush passed smaller budgets than he requested in 3 out of 4 years.
• These four Democratic budgets totalled $14.6 Billion less than Bush requested.
•G. W. Bush:
• The first two budgets — Senate was split 50/50 and the House was Democratic. ◦ Bipartisan and totalled $20 Billion less than Bush requested.
◦ The biggest cause of deficits was Bush's enormous tax cut, mainly for the rich.

• The next 4 budgets — the Congress was solid Republican.
• The last 2 budgets — Bush vetoed modest Democratic attempts at spending.

In summary: Democrats controled Congress during 8 out the 20 years. During 4 of those years, Democrats decreased the budgets proposed by the Republican presidents. Their total effect during those 8 years was to reduce Republican budgets by $17 Billion (which is only 0.2%