How can I find the amount of the U.S. trade deficit (and/or surplus)
in each year of its history or as far back as records go?

How can I find the amount of the U.S. capital surplus (and/or deficit)
in each year of its history or as far back as records go?

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 14 May 2006 07:52 PDT

gollum9701-ga,

While these questions seem like they may be answerable, I suspect it
will take more than $15 in time and effort to track down both sets of
records (if, indeed, both exist).

You might want to reconsider the price you've set, or else, perhaps
scale back the question to just a single set of stats.

Just my two cents...

pafalafa-ga

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Clarification of Question by gollum9701-ga on 14 May 2006 11:54 PDT

OK.

I thought the answer might be on a single reference document (I don't
know which one or how to find it). I may be wrong.

What price do I need to set?

Thank you.

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 14 May 2006 12:04 PDT

Depends on what you think the research is worth, and how extensive a
record you need.

For instance, here is the federal deficit/surplus going back to 1940:


http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/15feb20061000/www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/2006/B78.xls
TABLE B?78.?Federal receipts, outlays, surplus or deficit, and debt,
fiscal years, 1940?2007


showing the golden years of federal surplus in late 1990's/early
2000's, quickly disappearing into record deficit in 2006.

But is 1940 as far back as the record goes?  

Who knows?  It probably isn't, but for a researcher to dig around and
try and find out how far back the records DO go would likely mean a
lot of work...say, at least $50 worth.

Ditto for the trade deficit. 


Let us know how the above table looks to you, and how you think we should proceed.

Thanks,

paf

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Clarification of Question by gollum9701-ga on 19 May 2006 18:57 PDT

Let's not proceed.

In my opinion it is just a ploy
- the USA is driving up the price of the Euro

Possibly trying to screw Airbus v Boeing contracts
- it might just be for fun

China has a barrel load of cash - and it does not want it devalued

Think this pretty much covers all you need.

Foreign trad http://mwhodges.home.att.net/reserves.htm 

National debt   http://zfacts.com/p/318.html

historical http://traxel.com/deficit/budget-historical.pdf from the US
budget historical figure

My guess is the US capital surplus is not the same thing as a balance
of trade surplus.   Neil