2008 US Discretionary Budget Proposal in Graphical Form. Very Cool.

Here is an awesome graphical representation of the 2008 United States proposed budget by Bush. It would still need congressional approval, but it shows where the priorities of this president are. Now, I realize that most of this is probably already known by most people or at least predictable, but it's kind of cool to see it like this.

67% of the proposed budget would go to National Security and Military spending.

Proposed 2008 Budget

[edit on 31-1-2008 by LuDaCrIs]

Interesting find, nicely laid out interactive graphic. 67% of the budget for the military is a little high don't you think, I mean 2/3 rds of US government spending is to prop up the military industrial complex is a heck of a lot.

Incorrect. That only shows the discretionary spending which accounts for a little over a trillion dollars. The total federal budget for FY '08 is $2.90 trillion. US defense spending + "Global War on Terror Budget" equals to about $630 billion. Still alot, but its only about a 5th of the total budget.

You can read it more in-depth here:

en.wikipedia.org...

Something else I found interesting was the amount we are spending on the interest of our national debt. $261 billion...We could put every single person in this nation through school had we not racked up so much debt...

reply to post by pugachev


We could go a good ways towards that if we got rid of foregin aid.

That is the biggest waste of taxpayer dollars IMHO.

Incorrect. That only shows the discretionary spending which accounts for a little over a trillion dollars. The total federal budget for FY '08 is $2.90 trillion. US defense spending + "Global War on Terror Budget" equals to about $630 billion. Still alot, but its only about a 5th of the total budget.

Had no idea the US split up their budget like that: mandatory and discretionary.

It's still interesting the way they made the graphic, and that's all i really wanted to show.

I stand corrected. Thank you for that.



[edit on 31-1-2008 by LuDaCrIs]

Most of the discretionary spending should be in defense. That's constitutionally mandated. None of the other stuff, which has bankrupted our country is mandated. Now should overall spending on all programs be much smaller. Yes without a doubt. Ron Paul is correct about ending the empire building scheme, closing foreign bases, stopping the giveaways and focusing on defending our borders.

Originally posted by SevenThunders
Most of the discretionary spending should be in defense. That's constitutionally mandated.

Really? Quite interesting that that would be mandated. I am curious about this. Is there anywhere I could read up on that?

reply to post by LuDaCrIs


Yes correct. Look up the phrase "to provide for the common defense".
It's a quote from the constitution. It may come as a surprise to you, but there are quite a few nations and peoples that wish the US and her citizens harm. The world is an ugly place and defense is a necessary evil.

mbatm27.wordpress.com...

Oddly enough most utopian idealists, like Stalin and Hilter, end up killing a lot a people. So a world full of utopian peaceniks would not be quite what you might have envisioned. Evil still lurks in the heart of men. The Bible call this effect, the 'sin nature'.