Re:Show HN: Exploring the US Budget, 1962-2019
by Retric on Sunday September 14, 2014 @04:20PM
(#8316127)
Unfortunatly the US budget is intentionally misleading in a wide number of ways.
For example there is a lot of DoD spending that's not included in those numbers. Such as veterains affairs. Also, those numbers don't take into account inflation or the current GDP.
Re:Show HN: Exploring the US Budget, 1962-2019
by frogpelt on Sunday September 14, 2014 @04:43PM
(#8316179)
They split it up by discretionary and mandatory.
Supporting veterans or paying government employees' promised pensions is considered mandatory. Buying 12 new aircraft carriers is not mandatory.
Re:Show HN: Exploring the US Budget, 1962-2019
by AnthonyMouse on Sunday September 14, 2014 @09:56PM
(#8316929)
> They split it up by discretionary and mandatory.
Which has always been a bit of a lie for political expediency. Most of the "mandatory" expenditures aren't actually fixed amounts. For example, changing the retirement age or what benefits government health plans provide will directly impact "mandatory" spending.
DoD 2000-2014 = $282 billion to $587 billion = 2.08x increase over 14 years.
Total 2000-2004 = $1.79 trillion to $3.65 trillion = 2.03x increase.
So since 9/11 DoD seems to be expanding at the rate of total government expansion, which is pretty rapid. Compared to the 14 years before that from 1985-1999.
DoD 1985-1999 = $246 billion to $262 billion = 1.065x increase over 14 years
Total 1985-1999 = $946 billion to $1.7 trillion = 1.7x increase
So the total government is growing at a similar rate, but DoD exploded in size in the last 14 years.