Not quite.
Clinton ran a BUDGET SURPLUS, which serves to REDUCE the National Debt, but clearly not eliminate it, because it is an accumulation of centuries of deficit BUDGETING.
While it is easy to say it is government spending run amok, it is elected politicians that agreed to that spending but then did not do the hard work of collecting enough taxes to cover it. “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!”
So, in modern America, which is it? Spending or taxes? They already agreed to the spending, and now want even more for the Border Wall, but then the same people just cut $2T in taxes to the wealthiest individuals and corporations. Methinks the answer is obvious, don’t you?!
And, don’t forget, there are some very wealthy people in America who own large swaths of Treasuries, and thus they MAKE MONEY from the debt, while usually also avoiding the taxes that pay for the interest they receive! Brilliant scam, huh?!