Recent Democratic presidents have seen smaller deficits than Republicans, according to Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. However, neither party tends to be fiscally responsible. Democrats favor expanding programs, while Republicans prefer tax cuts, and both achieve these goals by expanding the deficit, according to Farnsworth.

What is deficit spending, and should it matter to voters? (Chatham Star-Tribune)