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The deficit fell dramatically 2009-2015.

But the debt rose

https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/NationalDebt_v02_DP_16843391...

Technically yes, but you can clearly see the growth slow to essentially zero during part of the late Clinton years in that chart.

Yes, that's what a deficit does until it becomes a surplus. Debt cannot go down until the deficit is gone.

The deficit rose dramatically when someone printed a bunch of money to give to the too-big-to-fail banks.

Sure technically the deficit dropped after that but that's like ne saying it's an improvement that I only gambled away my car since last year I gambled away my house.

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