Contrary to Popular Opinion, Democrats made Government Smaller, Republicans made it Bigger

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Contrary to its claims and popular perception, the modern Republican Party has been the true practitioner of big government in recent decades. Democrats reduced the relative size of the U.S. federal government in the 1990s and Republicans expanded it in the 2000s. Under President Bill Clinton's leadership, Congress reduced the size of U.S. federal government expenditures from 22.1% of gross domestic product in 1992 to 18.4% of GDP in 2000. Under President George W. Bush, public expenditures increased to 20.5% of GDP in 2008.