QUIZ TIME - Test your knowledge of current events! Question #3: SPENDING

[Delano]

The federal government spends a larger proportion of its budget on:

[MrSlayer]

1. I believe at the current time it's "B".

Oh wait, is this a trick question? Didn't they fail to include war funds in this year's budget? Tricky little bastards they are.

[Delano]

2. kick

Just to get a bit more response.

[Delano]

3. Answer.

"o The Government spends most of your money on a few major
programs. In the current year, 1995, defense accounts for 18
percent, Social Security for 22 percent, Medicare for 10
percent, Medicaid for six percent, and interest payments on
the national debt for 15 percent. Together, these five
programs account for over 70 percent of all Federal spending.

o Other programs that get lots of attention--controversial
programs like welfare (Aid to Families with Dependent
Children) and foreign aid--actually account for tiny portions
of spending. Together, welfare and foreign aid account for
less than three percent of all Federal spending."

http://www.budgetsim.org/EDIN/faststats/bud96stats.html

This was the best answer I could find. It was during the middle of Clinton's "socialism" and "dismantling the pentagon".

I'm pretty sure that the numbers now aren't all that different, but welfare is probably a lower percentage now, thanks to welfare deform.

Also, people who characterize medicare and social security as "handouts" or "welfare" are liars. They are insurance programs that we pay into - they are NOT giveaways. Please never let anyone tell you that they are. We earned them, paid for them, and yet the government is using the Social Security surplus to pay for its other operations. It should have to pay Social security INTEREST on the money it's BORROWING, then there would be no solvency problem in the futer for SS. Jut a thought.

[flaminbats]

4. is there really a difference?

Military spending includes corporate welfare and giveaways..

[Delano]

5. hehe.

N/T

[0rganism]

6. It was B before bush was in charge, but it has gotten more extreme lately

Here's the breakdown, if you want to see how it's done.
http://www.warresisters.org/piechart.htm

[Delano]

7. final kick

daytime