CBS

Economists: GOP Cites Deeply Flawed CBS Report To Blame Debt On Obama

Brian Beutler | August 24, 2011, 6:15AM

Top Republicans couldn't be happier with a Monday CBS News report logging the growth in the national debt under President Obama.

The debt was $10.626 trillion on the day Mr. Obama took office. The latest calculation from Treasury shows the debt has now hit $14.639 trillion.

It's the most rapid increase in the debt under any U.S. president.

The national debt increased $4.9 trillion during the eight-year presidency of George W. Bush. The debt now is rising at a pace to surpass that amount during Mr. Obama's four-year term.

But this is politically powerful only because it's equally analytically flawed.

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Polls

CBS/NYT Poll: Congressional Disapproval At An All-Time High

Kyle Leighton | August 4, 2011, 7:10PM

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) and President Barack Obama

Well, Congress has done it. It's hit its highest disapproval ratings since the New York Times/CBS News poll was created in 1977. In the wake of the debt debate, a full 82% of Americans are displeased with the legislative branch, with only 14% approval.

It's not so much the deal that was struck on the debt ceiling increase, which Americans were split on: 46% actually approved of the deal versus 45%. It was the perceived motivations that have people upset. 82% of the poll's respondents said that disagreements between parties on the debt ceiling debate were due to "gaining political advantage," rather than "doing what's best for the country," which only 14% saw as the motivator for Congress. Those numbers perfectly mirrored the general Congressional ratings.

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