After recently passing the Senate, Obama  has signed a bill into law that raises the Federal debt from 12.1 trillion  to 12.4 trillion. There are many critics to this bill that was passed  along partisan lines. However, the Obama administration has stated that  they have no other choice. Reuters.com posted a story on how the debt limit has doubled  over the past decade.
Congress approved an increase in the  debt limit from $12.1 trillion on Thursday, winning two more months  of funding for a record U.S. deficit as Obama tries to stimulate economic  growth after the country's worst recession in 70 years.
 
Critics say Democrat Obama is making  the deficit worse, but the White House blames the recession and unfunded  cuts in taxes and prescription drug aid, which were all inherited from  his Republican predecessor George W. Bush.
The U.S. government posted a record $1.4  trillion deficit in the fiscal year ended September 30 and is on track  during the current fiscal year to spend at least $1 trillion more than  it collects.
