Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Ann Fields

To the Editor:

The GOP has the reputation for being the “fiscally conservative” party. Let’s examine the facts.

There are a total of 14 American presidents who have guided America from 1933 to 2020, seven Democratic and seven Republican.

Economic growth: The economy grew at an average rate of 4.6% under Democrats and only 2.4% under Republican presidents. Under Biden, the economy has grown three times faster than under Trump.

Recessions: Ten of the past eleven recessions began under Republican presidents.

Balanced budgets: Only three presidents had a balanced budget - Carter, Clinton and Obama.

Growth of small and medium businesses: Small and medium businesses built America and the middle class. However, in 1983, Reagan ordered the DOJ, FTC and SEC to stop enforcing the anti-trust laws and large corporations started to overtake the marketplace. Walmart began to grow exponentially, closing between 35 and 60 percent of mom and pop stores around Walmart’s location.

The next time someone says that the GOP is the “fiscally conservative” party, please remind them that the facts point in the opposite direction. Democratic governance produces a better economy, which is less likely to head into a recession, balances the budget, and promotes small and medium-sized businesses that are the backbone of America.

Ann Fields
Lansing