Aggregate data from 1960 and 1980 to present (5-05)
1) Deficit (On Budget)
1961-present
Total Democratic Budget Deficits: $1283.8 billion
Total Republican Budget Deficits: $5487.4 billion
Democratic Presidents’ deficits averaged 1.77% of GDP
Republican Presidents’ deficits averaged 3.42% of GDP
1981-present
Total Democratic Budget Deficits: $1004.4 billion
Total Republican Budget Deficits: $5280.1 billion
Democratic Presidents’ deficits averaged 2.06% of GDP
Republican Presidents’ deficits averaged 4.09% of GDP
1a) Deficit (total)
Since World War II
Total Democratic Budget Deficits: $625.1 billion
Total Republican Budget Deficits: $4040.7 billion
Democratic Presidents’ deficits averaged 1.2% of GDP
Republican Presidents’ deficits averaged 2% of GDP
1961-present
Total Democratic Budget Deficits: $608.2 billion
Total Republican Budget Deficits: $4013.2 billion
Democratic Presidents’ deficits averaged 1.21% of GDP
Republican Presidents’ deficits averaged 2.37% of GDP
1981-present
Total Democratic Budget Deficits: $320.3 billion
Total Republican Budget Deficits: $3819.3 billion
Democratic Presidents’ deficits averaged 0.76% of GDP
Republican Presidents’ deficits averaged 2.67% of GDP
2) GDP Growth
Since World War II
Average GDP growth per year under Democratic Presidents: 4.05%
Average GDP growth per year under Republican Presidents: 2.88%
1961-present
Average GDP growth per year under Democratic Presidents: 4.09%
Average GDP growth per year under Republican Presidents: 2.81%
1981-present
Average GDP growth per year under Democratic Presidents: 3.7%
Average GDP growth per year under Republican Presidents: 2.81%
3) Business Investment Growth
Since World War II
Average growth per year under Democratic Presidents: 7.08%
Average growth per year under Republican Presidents: 2.94%
1961-present
Average growth per year under Democratic Presidents: 7.2%
Average growth per year under Republican Presidents: 2.95%
1981-present
Average growth per year under Democratic Presidents: 9.85%
Average growth per year under Republican Presidents: 2.29%
4) Unemployment
Since World War II
Average unemployment per year during Democratic Presidents: 5.03%
Average unemployment per year during Republican Presidents: 5.93%
1961-present
Average unemployment per year during Democratic Presidents: 5.33%
Average unemployment per year during Republican Presidents: 6.24%
1981-present
Average unemployment per year during Democratic Presidents: 5.20%
Average unemployment per year during Republican Presidents: 6.41%
5) Growth in Jobs
Since World War II
Average yearly growth in jobs under Democratic Presidents: 2,082,000
Average yearly growth in jobs under Republican Presidents: 1,167,000
Average yearly percent growth in jobs under Democratic Presidents: 2.67%
Average yearly percent growth in jobs under Republican Presidents: 1.36%
1961-present
Average yearly growth in jobs under Democratic Presidents: 2,391,000
Average yearly growth in jobs under Republican Presidents: 1,307,000
Average yearly percent growth in jobs under Democratic Presidents: 2.69%
Average yearly percent growth in jobs under Republican Presidents: 1.39%
1981-present
Average yearly growth in jobs under Democratic Presidents: 2,884,000
Average yearly growth in jobs under Republican Presidents: 1,253,000
Average yearly percent growth in jobs under Democratic Presidents: 2.37%
Average yearly percent growth in jobs under Republican Presidents: 1.17%
6) Growth in Pay
Since World War II
Average yearly growth in weekly earnings under Democratic Presidents: 0.83%
Average yearly growth in weekly earnings under Republican Presidents: 0.408%
1961-present
Average yearly growth in weekly earnings under Democratic Presidents: 0.48%
Average yearly growth in weekly earnings under Republican Presidents: -0.30%
1981-present
Average yearly growth in weekly earnings under Democratic Presidents: 0.84%
Average yearly growth in weekly earnings under Republican Presidents: -0.34%