The Budget Deficit Just Fell To Its Lowest Level Under Obama
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The US Treasury Department released the official figures on Wednesday, generally confirming figures released by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office last week. It's the smallest deficit recorded since 2008.
FY2014 was the fifth consecutive year the deficit declined as a percentage of GDP. It is now an estimated 2.8% of GDP, a percentage that puts it below the average of the past 40 years. The Treasury's figures chalked up the shrinking deficit to increased revenues from taxes and slowed growth in government spending.
"It's really a rise in revenues because of economic growth, because of the policies the president pursued, that we've made progress on the deficit," said Shaun Donovan, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The deficit has fallen sharply over the past few years, despite constant brinksmanship in Washington over raising the US debt ceiling. But concern about deficits has virtually disappeared from the campaign trail ahead of the 2014 midterm elections after being a central theme of 2010's elections.
"Politicians campaigning this fall have rarely raised the subject, not to mention the difficult prescriptions that are required to deal with red ink," said Greg Valliere, the chief political strategist at Potomac Research Group, in a recent note. "No one wants to talk about the deficit."
A Treasury official told reporters on Wednesday that Obama will unveil his fiscal-year 2016 budget next February. The official said it will include a plan to undo some of the cuts contained in sequestration.
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- "To sit and talk in the box...!" Kohli's message to critics as RCB wrecks GT in IPL Match 45
- 7 Nutritious and flavourful tiffin ideas to pack for school
- India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030
- Top 5 places to visit near Rishikesh
- Indian economy remains in bright spot: Ministry of Finance
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market