The dollar was strong, interest rates low, inflation rate competitively low (compare with other countries).

The deficit just means the US government should collect more taxes and cut spending. Efficiency efforts should have gone towards neutering nimbys.

Now with Republicans in power, we can expect tax revenue to take a huge hit, and economic recession, and the deficit to blow out.

In the last 25 years, Republicans have consistently taken positive trends in gdp, unemployment, and deficits and tanked the economy.