We need a paycheck transparency act. I went to see Mike Moore's new movie last night...

[Luminous Animal]

(Where to Invade Next), and he showed a copy of a pay stub from one European country that listed the percentage of what government service your taxes go towards. I think if U.S. citizens were aware of how much of their taxes went to the military (near 60%) we would have a broader coalition to push forward social welfare and reducing our expenditures on the military.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. We are what we eat .

[angstlessk]

5. Eat this

[valerief]

2. [phone]

[Travis_0004]

3. Military is not 60%

Its 60% of discretionary, but in reality its about 16% of overall spending.

[angstlessk]

4. Military IS 60% 57% is MANDATORY 16% IS DISCRETIONARY

I think that is called splitting hairs

[Travis_0004]

6. Either way about 16% of my taxes goes to military spending.

[angstlessk]

7. NO 60% goes to military spending

57% is mandatory...16% they get to play with how many REAL dollars is it?

[Travis_0004]

8. Im just trying to understand the math

You want my paycheck to list how my taxes are spent.

If I pay 100 in tax this paycheck, 16 dollars (60%) will go to military spending.

The other 84 dollars (40%) is spend on other programs.

Got it.

[angstlessk]

9. NO 60 dollars goes to the military

the rest goes elsewhere

[Travis_0004]

11. No

[hedgehog]

20. Social Security and Healthcare do no belong on that chart -

they are both paid for separately from the rest of the Federal budget.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

21. Social Security is separate

but where are you getting that healthcare is not part of the federal budget?

[hedgehog]

22. I'm assuming "Healthcare" means Medicare.

[Travis_0004]

23. And that money comes from general revenue

Part A is mostly funded through FICA taxes, but part B and D are mostly funded by general revenue.

[pangaia]

28. Part B and D are paid by the subscriber... otherwise know as the VICTIM.

In my case part B is $109/mo.

Part D is through my sort of "Advantage" plan.

[lumberjack_jeff]

37. The portion of healthcare that is not medicare is almost entirely VA hospitals.

VA hospitals + DoD + most of the interest on the debt = "the cost of the military"... about half of the budget.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

38. Not even close

Federal costs for Medicaid in FY2014 were about $287 billion, as opposed to about $68 billion for VA.

[angstlessk]

12. I don't know how to post a picture, but here is a link to the pie chart

[Travis_0004]

13. That is discretionary spending

We do pay for non discrerionary spending. Its not free.

[angstlessk]

15. Wait a fricking minute...we already pay 24% on healthcare??? how much

more for universal healthcare.....sans the insurance cut?

[Luminous Animal]

17. FYI. You claim a source but Social Security is not part of the federal budget so your source

suspect and likely right wing.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

18. Take SS out of the equation

and the military is still not 60% of spending.

[hack89]

26. SS is funded by federal revenues nt

[hack89]

32. So why is it in the President's budget submission to Congress?

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2017/assets/tables.pdf

[jberryhill]

27. The VA is not "Defense Department"

I think there is an argument to be had over whether the Department of Veteran's Affairs is, or is not, "defense spending".

Clearly, veterans don't come from nowhere.

[angstlessk]

14. OOPS there it is!

[orpupilofnature57]

19. Can you come with more than two words at a time ? Or maybe an idea ? Eat this .

[Egnever]

16. This ^^^^

Military is not 60%

[KamaAina]

36. How much of our debt service payments derive from the military?

[snot]

10. If you count the VA et al. as "military," which I think we should, military's even higher.

[NaturalHigh]

24. That's a good idea.

People should know where their money is going.

[clarice]

25. I hate Math...almost as much as taxes. lol

[pangaia]

29. Smartest post here.... so far, anyway..

[clarice]

30. Who loves Ya baby? nt

[pangaia]

31. YOU DO !!! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[clarice]

33. shhhh don't tell anyone....it's a secret. nt

[pangaia]

34. There are no secrets on DU. For better or worse. :>)

[clarice]

35. lol.

[Yavin4]

39. I think that most Americans are aware that we have a huge military budget

And that we don't spend that much on social services. The trick is to get them to vote in every election, not just presidential ones, for a shift from military to social spending.

[B Calm]

40. Most employers did away with paychecks and went strictly to direct deposits.