Maxing Out the National Debt Clock

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What are we spending?

All this focus on Debt...Deficit Spending, Interest, etc...

Can we get a simple list of the final yearly tally of what was spent from this year back to 1976?

What is the Real number, versus the proposed budget...did we go over/under on the respective years?

Then what is the breakdown of those dollars spent...where did they actually go?

First some general information...then I would love to follow up with some detailed inquiries...

Obviously, the #1 key to reversing the trend it so live within our means...thus this requires a change in spending...effectively cutting costs. Remove Deficit spending and build up a surplus to pay down the debt.

Military Spending = I support our military and our National Defense. I would also like to know how is our military money being spent, and how can we lower this cost, without hurting our Security?

Health/Medical = same thing as military spending...where is the money going and how can we adjust our spending habits, while keeping America healthy...Could we lower medical costs by spending more on preventive medicine? How much money is going to organizations that are elective versus required? (Abortion and Homosexual issues) Who determines what is medically needed versus some political agenda medical issue?

Education = where is the money going...how can we cut spending and keep education strong? Are there too many Chiefs making too much money with a poor performance? How much are spending on materials, that could be used a bit longer? (Books, Technology, etc...) Facilities?

Infrastructure = How much are spending here...and where? Is it truly necessary ("Bridge to Nowhere") ... Can some roads do okay for a few more years, and thus perhaps slow down some the "Infrastructure Growth" How do we promote other means of commerce?

Other areas...

Bottom line, in my house, when our income is high and our spending is low, we are able to splurge on non-needed items...basically tapping into our wish list. However when our income is low, we adjust our spending and we stop doing those things that cause us to go in debt.

It's painful to do when the money is short, but it's a survival thing...We need some leaders in our government willing to make the difficult Political choices to benefit the financial health of our nation. Sometimes that might mean, spending less on a new Tank, or stopping funds to support a Planned Parenthood project, or deciding not to bail out a bank or some other 'Big Business', or giving funds to a "Community" organization such as ACORN that is all about Deficit spending rather than SAVING MONEY...

Out Government spending has risen to be out of control and we the people must stand up and change our governments direction with our finances.

When my kids ask me for money to do some cool school activity and I don't have it in my budget, I tell them NO!!! I don't put it on a credit card...if it's not on the budget and I don't have the income the answer is no.

92bDad of TX @ Apr 20, 2009 15:59:40 PM

Socialism??

I guess Erv of CA doesn't plan to collect his Social Security, or Medicare. Erv also doesn't seem to be aware of the deficit that was built under Bush to fund the invasion of Iraq. Investing in our infrastructure and small business, education, and job creation and alternative energy is a good investment! Sometimes you have to spend to make money and investing in America is worth it.

Lil of NY @ Apr 19, 2009 11:10:26 AM

national Debt

When Bush took office the national debt was $5.7 trillion.

In October of 2008 ( 3 months before he left office ) He had

ditched the country up to $10.2 trillion. And he never even

put the Iraq war costs in the national budget.

I hope Rush Limbaugh fails. $ 40 million a year worth of

Republican gas bag ideology. Yeah Rush is one of us alright.

George Weinn of TX @ Apr 16, 2009 20:56:40 PM

you have a point

you may have a point in what you say but the it seems like the more we try to let the gov. get us out of debt the more we end up gettin put in.

cross of AZ @ Apr 16, 2009 13:04:27 PM

It gets better children

Go to www.americagonestupid.com and see how much further we are going to go in debt by watching how they're going to reel you into investing in socialized medicine while the flood gates are open to the world to come here and suck off the free medical ti-t at the american tax payers expense. Watch_ Sick In America_ and the after you've puked watch Black Money. Oh yeah, your tax dollars at work my friends under a democratic majority house and senate.Dop you think they'll tank America before this four years is over. I'm going to bet "by all means".

Erv of CA @ Apr 10, 2009 18:13:09 PM

Over 11 Trillion now

I tried to get an idea of how much that really is.

1,521,000.00 for ever day of every year since the time of Christ. Now how does someone imagine that?

Van of NC @ Apr 07, 2009 19:52:02 PM

debt total [deficit cumulative]

shylocks will affect world for 100s of yrs. even if thiers a turnaround now

humble pie smokin

brian mcwilliams @ Apr 07, 2009 19:10:06 PM

Yes I do

Does anyone have any idea as to where to start? yes I do. the first step should be to stop payments of SS and SSI or any social funds to those who have not paid their 40 quarters, stop payment to all those who are getting SSI because they are brain dead from doing drugs and now can't work, stop payment on welfare people who have kids every three years to assure their payment doesn't stop, stop payment of SSI to all foreigners who never did a darn thing for this country and yet because they step foot on our soil are getting $1400 a month, assure all those who are drawing disability falsely go to prison for life, clean dead row out this year, reduce all unnecessary government sponsored activities paid for with tax payer funds. That's just a few. I could go on and on about programs that need to be cut where the funds could be used to pay for medicaid, medicare and SS. It's time to close all points of entry into this country for the next 30 years, round up the illegals and send them home and make America the industrial nation it once was. The one world order and global economic must come to and end this year if we are to survive and don't want to be owned by China, Japan and Iran. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tentrillion/

osok of CA @ Mar 30, 2009 00:17:38 AM

We're In A World Of Crap

Have any of you seen the PBS frontline documentary on this issue. If not go to www.americagonestupid.com and watch the special in full and then watch the one about retirement in anerica is gone. Sit down with your children and leave politics out of the story. Just explain to yur children what this truely means to them if we don't get this under control and then ask them if they should be paying into social security to assure your well being. I think not.

osok of CA @ Mar 28, 2009 21:17:35 PM

Pure lack of objectivity

Read your own words, and you will find that when your guy spends it is OK, and when the other guy spends it is excessive. If Bush was too spend-happy, then Obama will make him a spend-happy midget by current calculations. What will you say if they have to put a 2 at the front of that debt clock? How long will you blame it on Bush? THIS Secretary of the Treasury authorized the AIG payments. This President does not give a hoot if you don't pay your taxes and you are his friend. This President is surging in Afghanistan. This President suspended ethics in campaign financing and inauguration spending. This Democratic Regime publishes bills 10 hours before the vote on them, (1,100 pages worth), supports them almost unanimously, and then points the finger everywhere else when mistakes are revealed. I do not care which party you come from, let's work toward an era of responsible government and ethical leadership. If you do not want lobbyists in your government, then do not hire them. If paying taxes is your patriotic duty, then let's not make excuses for top elected and appointed officials who "forgot" to pay their taxes.

Ken Harris of FL @ Mar 27, 2009 07:42:57 AM

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New Money

Katy Marquardt, a senior editor at U.S.News & World Report, takes a contemporary look at happenings in the financial world and aims to help young investors get going with their portfolios--or just sound cool at cocktail parties. Have a question? E-mail Katy at newmoney@usnews.com

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