comment: One word. Reagaonomics. The fantastical belief that tax cuts for the rich and tax increase for working people (Reagan cut taxes for rich, raised SS/Medicare taxes) and unfunded military spending was going to "pay for itself".
  US under every president and Congress combo of GOP and Democrat had reduced the debt every year since WWII.   Reaganomics blew it up and 12 years of Reagan/Bush blew it up.
  Clinton raised taxes and we saw balanced budgets (promised by Reaganomnics but never delivered) for the first time in decades.
  SS and Medicare due to Reaganomics tax increase on working people meant that SS and Medicare didn't contribute a dime to US debt over the last 50 years and still have a surplus.
  While unfunded military is FOUR TIMES Russia and China combined is 70% of the budget and running up the debt all the time.