The national debt increased by $4.89 trillion during Bush’s 8 years in office, Obama has increased it by $6.34 trillion in half that time.
Via PJM:
In a weekend session in the upper chamber, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) slammed Republicans for blocking Democrats’ attempt to extend the debt limit beyond midterm elections in 2014, charging that the GOP is responsible for the national debt. […]
“No one denies that this nation has work to do to reduce its debt. But Republicans who say this country should default on its debt today are the same Republicans who ran up that debt a few short years ago,” Reid railed on the Senate floor Sunday.
“These Republicans charged more than $4 trillion in tax breaks for the rich on the American taxpayers’ credit card. They paid for two wars, to the tune of $2 trillion, with borrowed money. And they rang up a $400 billion tab for a Medicare prescription drug plan,” he continued. “These Republican spendthrifts ran up the nation’s credit card for years. Yet every single Senate Republican refused yesterday to even talk about paying the bill now that it’s due. This is the height of irresponsibility.”