But if you just ate, you might want to think twice about following that link, or reading any further.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the “bad news” chart:<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.cnsnews.com\/sites\/default\/files\/imagecache\/lightbox\/images\/GovernmentProgramsAug4%20%282%29.jpg\")
<\/center> <\/p>\nYep, that\u2019s right: last year, the total was over $2,007,500,000,000<\/em>.\u00a0 For those not used to looking at numbers that large \u2013 i.e., damn near everyone \u2013 I\u2019ll put that into words for easier comprehension at a glance.<\/p>\n That\u2019s $2.007 trillion<\/em><\/strong>. In 2013 alone.<\/p>\n Of that amount, just under 70% – or approximately $1.399 trillion \u2013 are benefits that are not means tested whatsoever.\u00a0 The remainder \u2013 approximately $608 billion \u2013 is at least sort-of means tested.\u00a0 I say \u201csort-of means tested\u201d because means testing for Federal benefits excludes so much income (and items provided in kind) and has so many exceptions that you wonder sometimes why they bother.<\/p>\n Of the $1.4 trillion in non-means-tested benefits that Uncle Sam gives away, IMO only about $65.1 billion appears to be a true earned benefit.\u00a0 Those would be VA disability compensation and VA educational assistance. Eligibility for the rest seems to require little more than paying taxes and breathing \u2013 and I\u2019m not really sure about the \u201cpaying taxes\u201d part in many cases.<\/p>\n So, if you ever wondered where all your Federal tax dollars go \u2013 this is where about $2.007 trillion of them went last year.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re wondering how much the Federal government spent last year \u2013 the Heritage Foundation puts that at approximately $3.455 trillion<\/a>.\u00a0 That means that spending for entitlement and income security programs is now eating more than $0.58 of each Federal dollar spent<\/em>.<\/p>\n So, how much for national defense and vets?\u00a0 Together, those two consume less than $0.23 out of each Federal dollar spent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"