The Clinton years can teach us about managing the federal debt

To the editor: In her op-ed, contributing writer Véronique de Rugy condemns America for its irresponsible fiscal policies and legislative priorities that have pushed our country into a dangerous “new normal of budget deficits” (“Three Forces Driving America’s 45-Year-Old Debt Addiction” October 30).

In reaching that conclusion, he ignores some important facts, not least that it is a form of national debt. It was reduced during the presidency of Bill ClintonThe period from 1998 to 2001 was four consecutive budget surpluses. The debt to GDP ratio fell and deficiency decreased. All of this was spurred by cuts in military spending, a growing economy that led to increased tax revenues, and tax increases as part of Clinton’s fiscal plan.

De Rogi also ignores two global events that required the implementation of specific, albeit expensive (and hopefully not repeated) response actions that led to significant increases in debt: the financial collapse of the late 2000s and the pandemic that followed about 10 years later. Beyond these glaring flaws, I believe he also highlights the damage done by Republicans by providing significant tax cuts to the wealthy without cutting back on spending.

Yes, we are seeing an alarming trend, but one that can be better understood and managed effectively by considering other causes in this theory as we saw from the Clinton years.

David W. Steuber, Laguna Beach

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To the editor: De Rogi suggests that the federal debt explosion is “a direct result of careless promises to retirees, the cost of health care and an unwillingness to honestly pay the bills.”

In exchange for paying monthly contributions to Social Security and Medicare over 42 years of work, I was promised basic health care and a modest monthly payment after retirement. Was it a careless promise? Opinions may differ on this, but it was a promise.

I would suggest that Congress is recklessly breaking that promise by refusing to fund these programs. It was certainly naive of me to believe that this promise would be kept.

Barry Heller, Rolling Hills Estate