What percent of the federal debt and/or budget deficit is due to defense spending?

[Cruzan]

Thanks!

[MadHound]

1. The complete total is approximately fifty three percent of the annual federal budget

Though the official budget figures show less, way less, they are deceptive numbers because military spending is spread out across many departments besides the Pentagon. For instance our entire nuclear missile fleet, while being part of the military, is actually funded under the auspices of the Atomic Energy Commission.

And let's not even get into black budget items, expenses that Congress essentially votes blind on, and are not included in the official military budget.

The military has lots of tricks to disguise its size, but yeah, fifty three percent is somewhere around the right number.

[Warpy]

2. Subtract things like the VA, GI bill and pensions

all of which add to the economy, and you're left with about 34% of the budget going down that 5 sided rathole in Virginia.

However, the largest reason for the continued high deficits in the Federal budget are the reckless tax cuts of the last administration, especially the tax cuts that disproportionately favored the ultra rich and corporate.

[MadHound]

5. I'm not talking about VA, GI Bills, pensions, etc.

I'm talking about the actual military. Soldiers in the field, planes in the sky, the rocket's red glare. The programs designed to help our veterans occupies about four percent of our national budget.

[bvar22]

3. There is an excellent Pie Chart somewhere around DU.

I'm sure someone will post it to this thread.
Over 50% is Military Spending.
I suspect way over 50% if we could see ALL of the Military Spending.
It IS an obscene amount.

K&R
because this info should be pinned to the TOP of the Greatest Page every single day.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[Panaconda]

6. Here are 3 charts

[NoNothing]

8. This is the chart the OP wants:

[ellenfl]

11. i don't understand y social security & medicare r included.

is that a percentage subsidized by non-designated funds, iow not paid by our ss/medicare taxes? if so, that pie chart is misleading at best.

ellen fl

[NoNothing]

12. Because money is totally fungible

Dollars not spent on one thing could be spent on another. Dollars that are spent on one thing *can't* be spent on another. And at the end of the day, if there aren't enough dollars from whatever source to cover this chart, then the government has to borrow money to make up the difference.

The OP didn't ask specifically what his *income taxes* paid for, he asked what the budget was, and this chart illustrates that.

[ellenfl]

15. it's still misleading, imo, as reflected in the disinformation campaign

being waged by the right.

ellen fl

[Yupster]

9. Your pink and black chart shows

no social security, medicare, medicaid or interest on the debt.

We wouldn't be in so much trouble if we didn't have those pesky expenses.

[mmonk]

13. Social security has a dedicated tax.

[unhappycamper]

4. I attended the Veterans For Peace conference last week.

One of the sessions was talking about the national budget for 2011.

The military takes 58% of discretionary spending.

The national debt takes another 7% of discretionary spending.

To offer some contrast, Education gets a whole 4%.

[xchrom]

7. recommend

[mmonk]

10. It's hard to track given the cloaking of it in other categories.

I came up with a figure of 54% in 2009. Someone from veterans for peace said 60%.

[AtomicKitten]

14. An assload percent. nt