Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Out-of-Control Government Spending and Taxation

A great series of charts put together by Nicola Moore, Stephen Keen, Rea S. Hederman Jr. and Alison Acosta Fraser, all from the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation

I. FEDERAL REVENUE

Current Federal Tax Receipts Near Historical Average

Federal Government Tax Revenue Has Tripled Since 1965

Corporate Income Tax Cuts Boost Federal Revenues

Social Insurance Taxes Now Account for 34 percent of All Revenues

Taxes per Household Have Risen Dramatically

The Clinton Administration Oversaw the Highest Increase in Taxes per Household

Social Insurance Tax Revenues Have Climbed Steadily

II. TAXES AND TAX RATES

Income Tax Receipts Stay Constant Even as Tax Rates Declined

Corporate Income Tax Receipts Stay Constant Even as Tax Rates Declined

Tax Rates for High-Income Households Have Risen Disproportionately

The Top 10 Percent of Income Earners Paid 70 Percent of Federal Income Tax

III. FEDERAL SPENDING

Federal Spending Has Increased Steadily Regardless of Congressional Leadership

Since 9/11, Federal Spending Has Increased Much Faster Than Inflation

Federal Government Spending per Household Is Near an All-Time High

Federal Spending per Household Has More Than Doubled Since 1960

Federal Spending Grew Nine Times Faster Than Median Income

Non-Defense Discretionary Spending Increased Steadily While Defense Spending Fluctuated

Despite War Costs, Defense Spending Falls Below Historical Average

Mandatory Spending Has Increased Almost Five Times Faster Than Discretionary Spending

Mandatory Spending Increased 759 Percent

Mandatory Spending per Household Has Increased by Over $9,500 Since 1965

Total Government Spending Has More Than Doubled Since 1965

Medicare and Medicaid Spending Will Rise With Increasing Health Care Costs

Social Security Spending Soon to Rise Rapidly

Retired Workers Receive the Largest Share of Social Security Benefits

IV. REVENUE AND SPENDING COMPARISONS

Federal Spending Is Growing Faster Than Federal Revenue

Government Spending Grew Faster Than Revenues for Most Administrations

All Recent Administrations Ran Up Budget Deficits

Among Recent Administrations, President Reagan Stands Out as Most Willing to Use Veto

FY 2008 Had the Second-Highest Number of Earmarks in History Despite the Change in Congressional Leadership

Defense Spending Is on the Decline Despite the War on Terrorism

Non-Defense Spending Growth Was Lowest Under the Reagan Administration

V. PROJECTED SPENDING

Entitlement Spending Will More Than Double by 2050

The Ratio of Elderly to Younger People Is Rapidly Increasing

Mandatory Spending Consumes Growing Share of Total Spending

Entitlements Alone Will Eclipse Historical Tax Levels by 2052

Raising Taxes is Not the Solution to the Entitlement Spending Tsunami

Entitlement Reforms are Needed to Control Spending

Tax Burden Is Rising to Highest Level in History

Public Debt as Share of GDP Is Below Historical Average

Federal Budget Deficit Will Reach Levels Never Seen Before in U.S.