Mark Alesse writes, in his praise of Paul Ryan ("Ryan a nightmare for Obama, Biden," Aug. 27), that when Mitt Romney and Ryan "win in November the nation will be spared four more years of irresponsible budgets at home and weak-kneed foreign policy abroad." This deserves a closer look.

When President Bill Clinton left office, this country had a historic surplus. Then came President Bush's war on Afghanistan. Then came President Bush's war on Iraq. Then came President Bush's increases in defense spending and the formation of Homeland Security. Then came President Bush's Medicare Part D program. Then came President Bush's tax cuts (a first in the history of the United States: cutting taxes in times of war, let alone two wars). Then came President Bush's TARP bank bailout. By the time President Bush was done, the historic surplus was gone and the nation was trillions of dollars in debt.