Presidents do not increase or decrease the National Debt; only the US Congress can do so.
For some reason (probably ignorance) many people accrue the federal government's FY 2009 budet deficit to President Obama when, if one is going to accrue it to any President, it should be accrued to President Bush. He requested an FY 2009 budget of $3.1 trillion and estimated revenues at about $2.7 trillion. Unfortunately, only $2.1 trillion in revenue accrued.
President Bush is to blame for much of the mess we are in right now. But Obama has only made it worse in a lot of ways. Fact is the Democrats had control of congress for two years and did very little (other than the successful auto bailout). I blame congress for being stagnant and not working together to find common ground, but that fact is this is Obama's administration, he bears responsibility for passing laws and legislation that increase or decrease spending. So far, he's pushed it right to the top of the ceiling and that's something he can't do if he's elected for another four years.
