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Several basics facts about US Debt and Spending..... trzaska2000 Send a noteboard - 16/04/2011 04:41:55 AM
No matter which side of the political spectrum you find yourself, there are a few facts that are irrefutable:

1. The US Federal debt as a percentage of GDP is at the highest point since WWII, and it is projected to continue increasing per the latest Obama budget.

2. Federal spending as a percentage of GDP is at its highest point in 60 years.

3. Federal deficits as a percentage of GDP are at their highest point in 60 years.

4. The fixed component of spending has increased over time, largely driven by entitlement spending. Many cite military spending as the culprit, but consider the change over time.

In 1968, the US allocated 46% of its budget towards the military. In 2008, that figure was 21%. Compare that to the sum of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. In 1968, these three items accounted for 17% of federal spending. In 2008, they accounted for 41%.

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Now for the opinion. We are in deep, deep trouble and entitlement spending needs to be scaled back significantly. We can't afford these reckless promises of the past. Either we start cutting now or we will end up like much of Europe and have to take extreme austerity measures when our house of cards comes crashing down.

If you disagree with this, please offer your solution.
*MySmiley*
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Several basics facts about US Debt and Spending..... - 16/04/2011 04:41:55 AM 1469 Views
Well ... at least we've been here before ... ? - 16/04/2011 06:41:00 AM 967 Views
Guess we should have okay'd those death panels for old people then. Big money saver. *NM* - 16/04/2011 03:38:00 PM 503 Views
Yeah, those old people are draining the system..... - 16/04/2011 06:57:59 PM 1001 Views
You're already worse off than much of Europe, honestly. - 16/04/2011 04:08:37 PM 1098 Views
Re: You're already worse off than much of Europe, honestly. - 17/04/2011 01:33:31 AM 1110 Views
Balancing our budget would be easy. - 16/04/2011 06:46:32 PM 934 Views
Also on the buying drugs from Canada idea - 16/04/2011 08:17:26 PM 1048 Views
Re: Also on the buying drugs from Canada idea - 18/04/2011 01:59:44 PM 1089 Views
Re: Also on the buying drugs from Canada idea - 18/04/2011 05:16:14 PM 1278 Views
Funny you mentioned WWII and 1968. Can you put tax rates at these times as well? - 16/04/2011 07:50:09 PM 1398 Views
Not really. Even if you can substantially raise tax revenue, the entitlement problem remains. *NM* - 16/04/2011 08:25:26 PM 450 Views
Re: Not really. Even if you can substantially raise tax revenue, the entitlement problem remains. - 16/04/2011 09:19:40 PM 1066 Views
Have you ever looked at those projections for a decade or two hence? - 16/04/2011 10:13:12 PM 1022 Views
Yes I have - 16/04/2011 10:44:50 PM 1183 Views
Erm, and you think total health care spending is not getting out of control? I'm a little confused. - 16/04/2011 11:02:52 PM 1094 Views
Yes it's going out of control - 16/04/2011 11:17:59 PM 1065 Views
Good, we agree on that much then. - 17/04/2011 09:59:17 AM 1003 Views
Sorry, but that is a stupid opinion..... - 16/04/2011 08:38:35 PM 1000 Views
Sounds like another bull. - 16/04/2011 09:31:05 PM 1242 Views
Dude, the data is the data.....tax revenue increased all three times. - 16/04/2011 09:47:37 PM 1237 Views
As I suspected, it's a bull. - 16/04/2011 10:02:05 PM 1127 Views
Stop being a fool - read and react to the data provided, posting something..... - 16/04/2011 10:14:11 PM 885 Views
Response is - 16/04/2011 10:19:00 PM 1101 Views
Good lord.....it's like talking to a brick. I really hope you are 12 or 13. - 16/04/2011 10:28:44 PM 1105 Views
Re: Good lord.....it's like talking to a brick. I really hope you are 12 or 13. - 16/04/2011 10:47:24 PM 1052 Views
I take it you mean "rate of revenue growth decreases". - 16/04/2011 11:11:19 PM 975 Views
Re: I take it you mean "rate of revenue growth decreases". - 16/04/2011 11:26:02 PM 1110 Views
Additional point - 16/04/2011 11:37:17 PM 1123 Views
I've just noticed that you've provided charts from Heritage Foundation! Are you f.. kidding me? - 16/04/2011 10:13:46 PM 973 Views
All the data is via CBO - do you know that the CBO is? - 16/04/2011 10:16:08 PM 991 Views
Re: All the data is via CBO - do you know that the CBO is? - 16/04/2011 10:27:01 PM 1107 Views
Nice try.....care to explain why the same exact thing happened..... - 16/04/2011 10:35:44 PM 925 Views
Re: Nice try.....care to explain why the same exact thing happened..... - 16/04/2011 10:49:33 PM 1064 Views
Krugman is a shill for the Obama administration. - 17/04/2011 02:34:50 AM 921 Views
Re: Krugman is a shill for the Obama administration. - 17/04/2011 03:50:24 AM 1148 Views
Some obesrvations by Republican economists - 18/04/2011 12:27:04 AM 1288 Views
You mean the Keynesian economist who wrote The Failure of Reaganomics - 18/04/2011 04:00:52 PM 942 Views
Re: You mean the Keynesian economist who wrote The Failure of Reaganomics - 18/04/2011 05:36:44 PM 913 Views
Useless fact about our presidents since 1945. - 17/04/2011 09:20:16 PM 1269 Views
Re: Several basics facts about US Debt and Spending..... - 20/04/2011 03:51:19 PM 1362 Views

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