2006-05-02

How Big Is Bush’s Big Government?

We, in the United States, live under the rule of the largest civil government, measured in budgetary terms, in history. Federal spending alone in fiscal year 2006 is expected to be over $2.7 trillion, which means the federal government spends $7.4 billion a day or $5.1 million in every minute of the year. This is 815 times the level of federal spending in 1930.

Things have been getting worse recently. In the first five years of the Bush regime, federal spending increased 45 percent. For comparison's sake, during the eight Clinton years nominal federal spending increased 32 percent, and under Bush I federal spending increased 23 percent in four years. In the 2000 election, Bush II promised to shovel money into all sorts of programs — and he’s kept that promise.

3 comments:

Paul Hue said...

Nadir: I agree with you 100% on this. But I don't understand why you oppose big government spending and government programs for every complaint. This seems to be an objection for you only when people you dislike have power. Did you also oppose the expansion of govt under the Clinton "regime"?

Nadir said...

Yes, I opposed the expansion of govt under Clinton, but remember, I didn't like Clinton either.

Paul Hue said...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12554975/site/newsweek/

George Will agrees with us here, Nadir, on the issue of ceaselessly expanding govt, and the failure of repos to fulfill their promises to those who voted for them on this issue. But he disagrees with you about petro prices:

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Who over the age of 7 really thinks presidents can "handle" world petroleum prices? And: A major reason for high oil prices is the rapid modernization of India and China—which is desirable and promoted by U.S. policy. And: For some reason, it pleased the Intelligent Designer of the universe to put much of the Earth's oil in turbulent places—the Middle East, Venezuela, Nigeria, Russia. And: The Congress that is in histrionic anguish over high gas prices has mandated adding ethanol to gasoline—ethanol which is in short supply, partly because Congress has legislated a tariff of 54 cents per gallon on imported ethanol.