Discretionary defense spending was increased by 107 percent, discretionary domestic spending by 62 percent, Medicare spending by 131 percent, social security by 51 percent, and income security spending by 130 percent. Cyclically adjusted, revenues rose by 35 percent and spending by 65 percent.[95] The increase in spending was more than under any predecessor since Lyndon B. Johnson.[96] The number of economic regulation governmental workers increased by 91,196.[97]
The surplus in fiscal year 2000 was $237 billion – the third consecutive surplus and the largest surplus ever.[98] In 2001, Bush's budget estimated that there would be a $5.6 trillion surplus over the next ten years.[99] Facing congressional opposition, Bush held town hall-style meetings across the U.S. to increase public support for his plan for a $1.35 trillion tax cut program, one of the largest tax cuts in U.S. history.[54] Bush argued that unspent government funds should be returned to taxpayers, saying "the surplus is not the government's money. The surplus is the people's money."[54] Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan warned of a recession and Bush stated that a tax cut would stimulate the economy and create jobs.