What does government do most?

[Trajan]

or 'best'...anyway, I tripped across this at hot Air. some interesting factoids here. as in;

trends anyone?


-The White House budget’s Historical Tables volume shows that direct payments to individuals have increased from 2.4% at the end of World War II to 66.2% in 2010, including grants. Ten years ago, that number was 60.6%. Excluding grants, we have gone from 1.9% in 1945 to 54.8% now.

Historical Tables | The White House

As percentage of GDP, the numbers look just as bad. In 1945, the total outlay for direct payments to individuals was 1.0%, with a constant dollar value (FY2005) of $18.6 billion ($2.215 billion in actual 1945 dollars). Now those payments account for 15.8% of GDP and $2.038 trillion. In effect, the federal government now redistributes 15.8% of the nations economic output, or roughly one-sixth of every dollar.


and-

In fact, according to the IRS, which collects such data, the share of income taxes paid by the richest 1 percent almost equals the share of income taxes paid by the bottom 95 percent. Today, roughly a third of those who file a tax return don’t pay any federal income tax at all, or get more in refundable tax credits than they pay in taxes. (In 1985, only 18 percent fell into this camp, according to the Tax Foundation.)
The Tax Foundation - Educating Taxpayers Since 1937

hat tip...hot air.
What does government do best most? « Hot Air

 

[william the wie]

The major parties live in a largely unchanging world that bears little resemblance to reality.