In 2008, the nation's yearly deficit was $459 billion. In 2009, the deficit is estimated to run $1.7 trillion.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office the national debt will grow by $9.3 trillion between 2010 and 2019 under Obama's budget plans.   At this rate, the nation's publicly held debt would rise from 41 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008 to 57 percent in 2009 and then to 82 percent of GDP by 2019.