Monday, August 25, 2008

Death And Taxes

Someone has put together a chart called "Death And Taxes". It depicts the requested 2008 budget for the federal "discretionary" budget - the amount that is requested by the President, and that has to be approved by Congress each year. It doesn't include Black Holes like Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid (money that is supposed to be supplied by other contributions).
This poster represents 1,075 billion dollars. I have no idea why it's represented as 1,075 billion instead of 1.07 trillion. Maybe numbers become ridiculous when they grow that large, and this is the easiest way for us to digest them.

Click here to see close-ups of the chart. Don't go in there unless you have plenty of time. Don't go in there if you still have sentimental attachments to the Daddy Party (R) or the Mommy Party (D), since those two groups are going to spend this money like drunk cowboys regardless of our current level of debt.

There's a little penny in the bottom right corner of the poster. The penny represents the total budget, not just the discretionary portion. For the 2008 fiscal year, Daddy and Mommy are going to spend 2.902 trillion dollars. They're only going to receive 2.662 trillion dollars. The difference, which will be passed along to the kids in the back seat of the family car, is 239 billion dollars (2% less than last year ! ! !)

The Daddy Party (R) and The Mommy Party (D) can't be trusted with the family car, or the credit cards, or the keys to the liquor cabinet, or staying out of expensive fights with people across town, but they want to keep driving and spending for another four years.

Check out the chart, and ask yourself if you really believe these two groups are ever going to change.

Go Bob Barr (L).

3 comments:

TarrantLibertyGuy said...

I see almost half a Billion is going to the American Competitive Initiative....
Apparently spending is up in the Department of Irony.

The Whited Sepulchre said...

TLG,
Agreed.

I'm thinking of buying this poster for those moments when I'm in a really, really postive giddy mood, and need to be reminded of the sinfulness of man.

Suldog said...

I'm both a Christian and a Libertarian. I don't believe in the inevitability of either death OR taxes.

(I know this doesn't speak cogently to what you wrote, but it's a damn good line and I use it whenever the slightest opening exists for me to wedge it in.)