First Fix: Apply Math! New Math – Old Math – Doesn’t Matter

I don’t fully understand the intricacies of finance or politics. But I know a lot of smart people, so I’m calling on the hive mind to take a critical look at our federal budget and fix what our representatives can’t.

I’ll pose questions, you post answers. If you want to pose questions drop me an email and we’ll figure out posting.

First, here’s where the government makes money.

Total receipts (in billions of dollars)::

Item Requested[34]
Individual income tax 1,359
Corporate income tax 348
Social Security and other payroll tax 959
Excise tax 88
Customs duties 33
Estate and gift taxes 13
Deposits of earnings and Federal Reserve System 80
Other miscellaneous receipts 21
Total 2902

Now here’s where they spend it. All these numbers are in billions too. Thought I would say that just so you wouldn’t be worried.

Agency Discretionary Mandatory Total
Department of Defense including Overseas Contingency Operations 666.2 6.7 672.9
Department of Health and Human Services including Medicare and Medicaid 80.6 860.3 940.9
Department of Education 67.7 4.2 71.9
Department of Veterans Affairs 60.4 79.4 139.7
Department of Housing and Urban Development 41.1 5.2 46.3
Department of State and Other International Programs 56.1 3.4 59.5
Department of Homeland Security 54.9 0.5 55.4
Department of Energy 35.6 –0.6 35.0
Department of Justice 23.9 12.7 36.5
Department of Agriculture 26.8 127.7 154.5
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 17.8 –0.02 17.8
National Intelligence Program 52.6 0 52.6
Department of Transportation 24.0 74.5 98.5
Department of the Treasury 14.1 96.2 110.3
Department of the Interior 12.3 1.2 13.5
Department of Labor 13.2 88.4 101.7
Social Security Administration 11.7 871.0 882.7
Department of Commerce 9.5 –0.5 9.0
Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works 8.2 –0.007 8.2
Environmental Protection Agency 9.2 –0.2 8.9
National Science Foundation 7.4 0.2 7.5
Small Business Administration 1.4 –0.006 1.4
Corporation for National and Community Service 1.1 0.007 1.1
Net interest 246 0 246
Disaster costs 2 0 2
Other spending 34.0- 61.7 29.5
Total 1,510 2,293 3,803

Ooops, be worried. I think the numbers should be even or reversed.

And sure I carry credit. Here’s the thing though, I’m not a fucking government. My financing a TV is a little different than the  Corporation for National and Community Service fueling its mission of…fuck if I know…off panda tears.

So, first question smart people. Why do we spend more than we make?