$2.4 Trillion: The Largest Debt-Limit Increase in U.S. History

Editor's Note: The debt compromise which passed the House on Monday evening with a vote of 269-161 is the largest debt-limit increase in U.S. history. In essence, the Federal government just got a blank check. This is no surprise given our current economic state. Despite months of pushing the "Recovery is here" propaganda, even the most crafty of politicians cannot hide the real economic truth from the American people. The ship is sinking and everyone is beginning to notice. With this new debt deal, Washington has at least given itself enough breathing room to glide through the 2012 Presidential election year. The can has been kicked down the road yet again. Really tough decisions lie ahead. It will come in the name of "sacrifice." It will take the form of higher inflation, slashed spending, and finally gargantuan tax hikes. As I have been saying for years, you must prepare. You have no choice. Don't fall for the mainstream media's "blame game." Right now, it does not matter who is to blame. Wake up from the "Conservative-Liberal" deception. When the Titanic is sinking, the first thing you do is grab your life boat. There will be a time for sorting out the details and placing blame later. The unprepared will remain focused on the politics of the matter. The informed will spend their valuable time preparing their financial gameplans. It's time to turn down the noise and get busy creating a plan. You can start with our Five Levels of Financial Freedom here and here.

(CNSNews.com) – The bill to increase the federal debt limit that has been put before Congress today would increase that limit by up to $2.4 trillion, which would be the largest increase in the debt limit in U.S. history by a margin of half a trillion dollars, according to records published by the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service.

In fact, according to records published by the Congressional Research Service, if the current bill is passed and the debt limit is increased by $2.4 trillion, the two largest debt-limit increases in U.S. history would come in back-to-back years, both during the presidency of Barack Obama.

Up until now, the largest increase in the debt limit was the $1.9 trillion increase passed by Congress and signed by President Obama on Feb. 12, 2010. That law increased the debt limit from $12.394 trillion to $14.294 trillion.

Up until now, the second largest historical increase in the debt limit was enacted on March 27, 2003, when President George W. Bush signed a law that lifted the limit by $984 billion—from $6.400 trillion to $7.384 trillion.

The third largest historical increase in the debt limit was enacted on Nov. 5, 1990, when the senior President George Bush signed a law that lifted the limit by $915 billion—from $3.230 trillion to $4.145 trillion.

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