I finally got around to looking for government budget breakdowns. Here's a pretty detailed pie-chart on the 2008 federal budget. Just follow the labels around clockwise starting with the biggest one, Social Security.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget,_2008
I also looked into the California state budget (below). As expected, it is much more relevant to what I'm concerned with day-t0-day. So if we're going to raise taxes at any level, it should be the local state level, not federal.
I also looked into the California state budget (below). As expected, it is much more relevant to what I'm concerned with day-t0-day. So if we're going to raise taxes at any level, it should be the local state level, not federal.
9 comments:
Oh man--pretty interesting--thanks for posting it.
I like this breakdown more... it shows only 5% on the war ... the previous breakdown showed defense and the war together and it was a bit misleading. 21 % on social security - I think the US gov. should do something about that.
Yes, please. That would be great if states taxed more and the federal government taxed less. That way, liberals who buy into the higher taxes, higher entitlements can move to the states that align with their philosophies, and the conservatives who buy into lower taxes, less government can move to the states more suited to them. Would it work? I don't know. I suppose we'd just find more liberals moving to states like Texas to avoid paying taxes in states like California, and then complaining that we don't do enough for them here in Texas.
Well done on the research side, Tyler B, but your readers conclusions leave room for questions. Like, Do you think for a moment that the Dept. of Defense's budget is not included in the "war"? Who or what do they think is paying for the personnel, munitions, equiptment, etc., etc., etc.? The 5% is on top of what would normally run operations. Also, What does one think that the government should do with the money that the 10's of millions of american patriots have paid to the goverment to be managed and guarded for their use in retirement?
I'm not sure if I'm a liberal conservative or a consevative liberal, but I voted for R. Reagan, who increased spending and the size of government (especially his own powers), and, I voted against George Bush , who increased spending and the size of government (especially his own powers). Is it only liberals that move to different states to avoid taxes? That would include a whole lot of coorporations that follow that practice, Wouldn't it? Is liberal a dirty word to a conservative, and vice versa?
I have an honest question for us who feel it so important to defend our riches, which I have heard are considered in some circles to not even be ours.-- In the Judean/christian world, Zion is a place, or state, that is desireous to obtain. One of the descriptions of Zion is that of a place where there are no poor. The question is, "How do we think they obtained that?"
Friend of Chris'
Dad (who posted as 'Chris') thanks for chiming in. A few very good thoughts.
Only 1.9% for the US Dept of Education?!? Perhaps we should start discussing the reason WHY so many people need government welfare and not whether they deserve it or not. How do we expect kids to become functioning, successful adults if we're not even willing to invest in them?
ps. I think I know where I got at least some of my liberal, tree-hugging ideals...friend of Chris.
Ashley C., education spending happens at the local/state level. Check that chart for California.
Chris/Friend of Chris/Tyler's Dad, I believe both conservatives and liberals would move to the states with lower tax rates - but only conservatives would admit that's why they are doing it. It aligns with conservative philosophies of lower taxation/less government. Liberals (assuming they prescribe to the ideals of more taxes/bigger government/more entitlements) would have to admit hypocrisy to move to a state of lower taxes FOR the lower tax rate.
Fortunately, I don't use exisiting politicians to define "conservative". It would be very confusing to figure out what it means. GWB has done a world of hurt for the conservative movement.
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