They didn't. It's a cornerstone of their electoral strategy to blow up the national debt when in power, then crow about debt reduction when not: https://www.sa

They didn't. It's a cornerstone of their electoral strategy to blow up the national debt when in power, then crow about debt reduction when not: https://www.salon.com/2018/02/12/thom-hartmann-how-the-gop-used-a-two-santa-clauses-tactic-to-con-america-for-nearly-40-years_partner/ https://www.salon.com/2018/02/12/thom-hartmann-how-the-gop-u... Edit: deficit -> debt