Question

What has been the general pattern of U.S. budget deficits in recent decades?

Short answer

Except for the years 1998 and 2001, the United States has consistently had budget deficit.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1. Concept of budget deficit

When the expenditure incurred by government is more than the tax revenue collection, then there is said to be a budget deficit.

Step 2. Explanation

If the general trend of the US deficit is seen, it may be concluded that the US economy has always been in a deficit situation. Only three years from the 1970s era, as well as the latter decade of the 1990s, did the economy have a surplus; otherwise, the economy was in deficit. The big deficit occurred during a period when the US economy was hit by recession in previous years.

As a result, it may be claimed that the US economy has been confronting increasing fiscal deficits in recent decades.