Graph by the Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities, via Ezra Klein. Two things: (1) Leaving aside Afghanistan, Iraq and the financial crisis-related spending, I don’t think the Bush tax cuts would ever have passed if people had realised how rapidly their contribution to the public debt would grow. (2) Look how tiny TARP is. Remember this the next time you hear someone ranting, from left or right, about how “the government found trillions for bailouts” or how “the stimulus put is hopelessly into debt.”

Graph by the Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities, via Ezra Klein.

Two things:

(1) Leaving aside Afghanistan, Iraq and the financial crisis-related spending, I don’t think the Bush tax cuts would ever have passed if people had realised how rapidly their contribution to the public debt would grow.

(2) Look how tiny TARP is. Remember this the next time you hear someone ranting, from left or right, about how “the government found trillions for bailouts” or how “the stimulus put is hopelessly into debt.”