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A checked claim

oversaw a spending spree that doubled the deficit

Lee Fisher · Campaign attack on Portman's record as OMB director, per PolitiFact. · September 2010 · Race: U.S. Senator from Ohio

About Rob Portman.

Correct this page · hello@crackedbuckeye.com

The checks

Each in the checker's own words. This site does not restate another organization's finding in its own voice.

Half True

PolitiFact, September 9, 2010 · read the check

Our check against the record

The record does not settle it

Checked against Federal surplus or deficit (Office of Management and Budget, Historical Table 1.1): $248.2 billion in fiscal 2006 and $160.7 billion in fiscal 2007, the years Portman directed the budget office, then $458.6 billion in fiscal 2008, the first budget he prepared.

The record: Historical Tables, Table 1.1: Summary of Receipts, Outlays, and Surpluses or Deficits (-)

Federal surplus or deficit (-), totalFederal surplus or deficit (-), total ran from $0.1 billion in 1901 to $-1,774.7 billion in 2025, between $-3,095.7 billion and $236.2 billion across the series; the date of the claim, 2010-09-09, is marked.050100150200191019201930194019501960197019801990200020102020the claim1901: $0.1 billion1902: $0.1 billion1903: $0.0 billion1904: $-0.0 billion1905: $-0.0 billion1906: $0.0 billion1907: $0.1 billion1908: $-0.1 billion1909: $-0.1 billion1910: $-0.0 billion1911: $0.0 billion1912: $0.0 billion1915: $-0.1 billion1916: $0.0 billion1917: $-0.9 billion1918: $-9.0 billion1919: $-13.4 billion1920: $0.3 billion1921: $0.5 billion1922: $0.7 billion1923: $0.7 billion1924: $1.0 billion1925: $0.7 billion1926: $0.9 billion1927: $1.2 billion1928: $0.9 billion1929: $0.7 billion1930: $0.7 billion1931: $-0.5 billion1932: $-2.7 billion1933: $-2.6 billion1934: $-3.6 billion1935: $-2.8 billion1936: $-4.3 billion1937: $-2.2 billion1938: $-0.1 billion1939: $-2.8 billion1940: $-2.9 billion1941: $-4.9 billion1942: $-20.5 billion1943: $-54.6 billion1944: $-47.6 billion1945: $-47.6 billion1946: $-15.9 billion1947: $4.0 billion1948: $11.8 billion1949: $0.6 billion1950: $-3.1 billion1951: $6.1 billion1952: $-1.5 billion1953: $-6.5 billion1954: $-1.2 billion1955: $-3.0 billion1956: $3.9 billion1957: $3.4 billion1958: $-2.8 billion1959: $-12.8 billion1960: $0.3 billion1961: $-3.3 billion1962: $-7.1 billion1963: $-4.8 billion1964: $-5.9 billion1965: $-1.4 billion1966: $-3.7 billion1967: $-8.6 billion1968: $-25.2 billion1969: $3.2 billion1970: $-2.8 billion1971: $-23.0 billion1972: $-23.4 billion1973: $-14.9 billion1974: $-6.1 billion1975: $-53.2 billion1976: $-73.7 billion1977: $-53.7 billion1978: $-59.2 billion1979: $-40.7 billion1980: $-73.8 billion1981: $-79.0 billion1982: $-128.0 billion1983: $-207.8 billion1984: $-185.4 billion1985: $-212.3 billion1986: $-221.2 billion1987: $-149.7 billion1988: $-155.2 billion1989: $-152.6 billion1990: $-221.0 billion1991: $-269.2 billion1992: $-290.3 billion1993: $-255.1 billion1994: $-203.2 billion1995: $-164.0 billion1996: $-107.4 billion1997: $-21.9 billion1998: $69.3 billion1999: $125.6 billion2000: $236.2 billion2001: $128.2 billion2002: $-157.8 billion2003: $-377.6 billion2004: $-412.7 billion2005: $-318.3 billion2006: $-248.2 billion2007: $-160.7 billion2008: $-458.6 billion2009: $-1,412.7 billion2010: $-1,294.4 billion2011: $-1,299.6 billion2012: $-1,076.6 billion2013: $-679.8 billion2014: $-484.8 billion2015: $-442.0 billion2016: $-584.6 billion2017: $-665.5 billion2018: $-779.1 billion2019: $-983.6 billion2020: $-3,095.7 billion2021: $-2,773.6 billion2022: $-1,374.2 billion2023: $-1,687.5 billion2024: $-1,815.4 billion2025: $-1,774.7 billionUnited States
Federal surplus or deficit (-), totalFederal surplus or deficit (-), total ran from $0.1 billion in 1901 to $-1,774.7 billion in 2025, between $-3,095.7 billion and $236.2 billion across the series; the date of the claim, 2010-09-09, is marked.Source: Office of Management and Budget: Historical Tables, Table 1.1: Summary of Receipts, Outlays, and Surpluses or Deficits (-) (Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year 2027) · as of 2026-10-15 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
SeriesWhenbillions of dollars
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19010.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19020.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19030
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1904-0
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1905-0
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19060
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19070.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1908-0.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1909-0.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1910-0
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19110
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19120
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1915-0.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19160
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1917-0.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1918-9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1919-13.4
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19200.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19210.5
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19220.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19230.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19241
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19250.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19260.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19271.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19280.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19290.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19300.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1931-0.5
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1932-2.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1933-2.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1934-3.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1935-2.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1936-4.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1937-2.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1938-0.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1939-2.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1940-2.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1941-4.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1942-20.5
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1943-54.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1944-47.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1945-47.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1946-15.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19474
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total194811.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19490.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1950-3.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19516.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1952-1.5
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1953-6.5
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1954-1.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1955-3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19563.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19573.4
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1958-2.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1959-12.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19600.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1961-3.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1962-7.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1963-4.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1964-5.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1965-1.4
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1966-3.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1967-8.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1968-25.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total19693.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1970-2.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1971-23
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1972-23.4
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1973-14.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1974-6.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1975-53.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1976-73.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1977-53.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1978-59.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1979-40.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1980-73.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1981-79
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1982-128
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1983-207.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1984-185.4
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1985-212.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1986-221.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1987-149.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1988-155.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1989-152.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1990-221
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1991-269.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1992-290.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1993-255.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1994-203.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1995-164
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1996-107.4
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1997-21.9
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total199869.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total1999125.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2000236.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2001128.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2002-157.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2003-377.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2004-412.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2005-318.3
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2006-248.2
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2007-160.7
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2008-458.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2009-1,412.70
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2010-1,294.40
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2011-1,299.60
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2012-1,076.60
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2013-679.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2014-484.8
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2015-442
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2016-584.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2017-665.5
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2018-779.1
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2019-983.6
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2020-3,095.70
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2021-2,773.60
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2022-1,374.20
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2023-1,687.50
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2024-1,815.40
Federal surplus or deficit (-), total2025-1,774.70

Context

Not yet researched

Topics: Federal deficit, Budget.

Other claims by Lee Fisher

Every claim filed under Lee Fisher

Sources

  1. Lee Fisher hammers Rob Portman on record in Bush administration · PolitiFact · 2010-09-09 · accessed 2026-09-21
  2. Historical Tables, Table 1.1: Summary of Receipts, Outlays, and Surpluses or Deficits (-) · Office of Management and Budget · accessed 2026-10-15

Cite and data

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Lee Fisher: "oversaw a spending spree that doubled the deficit"", https://crackedbuckeye.com/claims/2010-09-09-lee-fisher-portman-doubled-deficit/, built 2026-11-02, accessed [date].

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