(picture no. 195 from the old board's gallery, not restored)

(picture no. 196 from the old board's gallery, not restored)

We were talking about Bush and Obama, not WWII. We are talking about who spends more.

Percentages of GDP are kind of a dumb way to look at government spending. It relies on the bizarre assumption that if an economy doubles in productivity, that for some reason it is right and proper for government spending to double as well. If you think that through, exactly what government services double in cost when an economy is twice as prosperous and the population is still relatively stable? Maybe roads? Utilities?

I like constant dollars better. But whatever.

So how do Bush's spending numbers stack up against Obama's? Or deficit numbers? (Unless you try to drag 2009 into it). Keep in mind that this is Obama's budget document. As far as revenues are concerned, where does Obama think all those new revenues are going to come from?

Does the phrase "tax and spend" still ring a bell?