The National debt continued to balloon? Except for when the republicans took control of the house in 1994 that led to 4 years of surpluses, in spite of Bill Clinton, tell me one time when a modern president in the last 45 years did not have debt ballooning, as you put it? 

The one factor that you overlook is that Reagan had a democrat controlled congress, the house for all 8 years and the senate for 6 years. All spending legislation originates in the house. You do realize that no president can spend a penny without first being authorized by the congress? Do you remember that the democrats attached spending riders to every bill that was sent to Reagan? Even if they had nothing to do with financial matters? You also remember the screaming from the democrats every time Reagan vetoed a bunch of those bills, trying to stop much of the spending?