The title is a quote from the Washington Post. Following is a comparison of federal spending on selected categories. --cd3

---
by Randall Hoven
Original article link:
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/08/graph_of_the_day_for_august_22.html
---

"It was under Mr Bush that the deficit spiralled out of control as we fought an unnecessary and endless $3,000bn war in Iraq..." James Carville, the Financial Times.

"The Iraq adventure has seriously weakened the U.S. economy, whose woes now go far beyond loose mortgage lending. You can't spend $3 trillion -- yes, $3 trillion -- on a failed war abroad and not feel the pain at home." Linda J. Bilmes and Joseph E. Stiglitz, The Washington Post.

[See attached graph]

Data sources: CBO (see Box 1-3 and Table 1-4) and US Statistical Abstract, Table 461.

Link to CBO:
http://cbo.gov/ftpdocs/117xx/doc11705/08-18-Update.pdf

Link to Statistical Abstract, Table 461:
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/federal_govt_finances_employment/federal_budget--receipts_outlays_and_debt.html

-------------

Hoven's Index for August 22, 2010

Total spending on the Iraq War through 2010: $709 billion

Iraq War spending in 2008 (highest year) as % of total federal outlays: 4.7%

Spending on Medicare, 2003 through 2010: $2,931.5 billion

Spending on Obama's stimulus, 2009 and 2010 only: $572 billion

Total spending on Obama's stimulus, 2009-2019: $814 billion

Data sources: CBO (see Boxes 1-2 and 1-3, and Table 1-4) and US Statistical Abstract, Table 461.

See above links for sources.