Where Does Government Spending Go?
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Our government handles eye-wateringly huge sums of money, to the point where it can be difficult for our human brains to grasp. Nevertheless, the way our government allocates its money says a lot about our national priorities.
Our partners at USAFacts crunch staggering amounts of government data so that we can all have a better understanding of what happens to our collective money, among other topics. Here’s some of how it broke down in 2015, the most recent year for which comprehensive federal, state, and local government data are available.
- 25 percent paid for Social Security and Medicare. Since 1980, the number of people aged 65 or older has nearly doubled, which Social Security and Medicare spending increased 267 percent (after adjusting for inflation) over the same period, according to USAFacts.
- Nearly 17 percent went toward Medicaid and programs such as disability insurance, food stamps (SNAP), and unemployment insurance. Indeed, 91 percent of the poorest Americans’ income comes from government payments and subsidies. The official poverty rate was 12.7 percent in 2016, down only slightly from 13 percent in 1980, according to USAFacts.
- 15 percent went to education. Meanwhile, 66 percent of 8th graders are not proficient in math, and 64 percent are not proficient in reading. Reading proficiency has held steady since 1998, but math proficiency has improved, USAFacts’ data show.
- 13 percent went to national defense, down from 19 percent in 1980. The U.S. now spends more on military research and development, software, and electronics than it does on aircrafts, ships, vehicles, ammunition, missiles, and gas, according to USAFacts.
Want to dig in further? Check out this interactive map of government spending, brought to you by the data gurus at USAFacts.
What Do You Think?
Does government spending reflect your priorities? Is it leading to desirable outcomes? Hit Take Action, then share your thoughts below.
—Sara E. Murphy
(Photo Credit: 401kcalculator.org)
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