Political Parties Like It's Fiscal Year 1999

 We hear all the time from politicians talking about how to reduce the deficit and the debt.But have you ever heard a politician talk about how to spend a surplus.Believe it or not, that did happen.   It is now official and I'm proud to announce that we posted a budget surplus of $123 billion -- the largest surplus in American history. And in the last two years alone, we have paid down our nation's debt by $140 billion -- the largest debt reduction in our nation's history. We have closed the book on deficits and open the door on a new era of economic opportunity.     That was President Bill Clinton ... October 27th, 1999Ever wonder what it sounds like when the government has more money than it spends?And then - politicians come up with ideas for how to spend that extra money?And then - those ideas lead to angry arguments about how to spend that money -- arguments that kind of sound like what we hear now, but in reverse?Then this week's episode of C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly" is just the thing for you.Because that's exactly what you'll hear.No, these aren't fake AI-generated hallucinations. Yes, it really did happen —  actual real politicians saying real things about a real budget surplus...  The year was 1999 ... a year politicians fought over not how to cut the deficit and debt — but how to spend the surplus.Find C-SPAN's "The Weekly" wherever you get podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices