The federal government has dramatically expanded its role over the last century. Numerous programs to supposedly benefit the citizenry have sprung up and become massive spending black holes–Social Security, Social Security Disability, Medicare, Medicaid, Obama’s Unaffordable Care Act. And of course there is all the welfare for the inefficient defense industry. And now that we have piled up huge debt for all those programs, interest income is the number one spending item for the federal government. And the tax burden on individuals and businesses has risen along with the spending. A report from the Open the Books group details federal spending since 1916, when the federal income tax as initiated. (Open Books Report)
Looking at spending on a per person basis is appropriate; as a country grows, it has more people and there can be good reasons for more spending. Currently the federal government is spending almost $24,500 per person. That is an astounding 98 times more than in 1916. World War II as responsible for the first large jump, which then receded to the trend line. There was a flattening from around the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, then an acceleration, particularly pronounced during the epidemic. The current level of spending means federal government spending per household is basically equal to the average income for that household. Spending has increased under Dems and Reps. It has reached dangerous, really absurd levels. But no one has the courage to address the problem.
