# What would the deficit be if the economy were doing well

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-the-deficit-be-if-the-economy-were-doing-well/562336>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 29, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-the-deficit-be-if-the-economy-were-doing-well/562336 "2010-11-29T22:41:52Z")\
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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-the-deficit-be-if-the-economy-were-doing-well/562336/1 "2010-11-29T22:41:52Z")

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If GDP were growing at 3-4% a year, the U3 unemployment rate was closer to 5% and the U6 was around 10% what would the deficit likely be? Or are other factors also important in the deficit?

Under Bush, when the economy was doing ok in some regards, the deficit was about 1-3% of GDP rather than the 8-10% it is at now.

Would the deficit go back down to 1-3% of GDP if the economy recovered? Or do mandatory spending like medicare, medicaid and SS end up pushing the deficit back up anyway?