As this graph proves, we've never had a budgetary surplus in the US over the last 50 years. By definition, a surplus would mean you've brought in more than you've spent, and therefore, the national debt would go down. If you didn't apply that surplus to paying down the debt, but instead spent it on something else, then in FACT you don't have a surplus. It's akin to saying I made $50K this year, and spent $49K on expenses, so I' have a surplus of $1K, so I'll take it and celebrate and buy myself a TV for $1K. As soon as I spent the $1K, my surplus was gone. If I don't use that surplus to actually decrease the national debt, but instead spend it on some pet project, then there is no surplus. So the Clinton surplus is a myth, as is any other surplus you might have heard about. Sorry to burst your bubble.

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