Just The facts !
Take a look at the "Debt Clock" (https://www.usdebtclock.org/) ... and take the time to run your mouse over the different categories.
Fact 1. The total public debt (that's you and me) is $16.425 Trillion
in addition
Fact 2. The total "unfunded liability" (unfunded because congress already spent the money) is $122.1 Trillion
in addition
Fact 3. The total liability (both figures from above) is $138.525 Trillion
Fact 4. There are 315 million people in the US and that means collectively we each owe $439,761.00 (to pay off the debt in #3 above)
Fact 5. There is only $2.65 Trillion dollars in circulation ... meaning we have 52,237 times more debt than there is money to pay for it.
It gets better (and even harder to understand)
Fact 6. There are 435 representatives and 100 senators in Washington. If you calculate their spending (all 535 of them) ... individually, each one of them is responsible for ... wait for it ... $25.8Billion in spending.
Fact 7. We have .000019 of the money we would need to pay off the total debt.
Oh, but we are not done yet
Fact 8. The average congressman in Washington is paid a whopping $174,000.00 per year. And they are allowed to participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits program, the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program, the Civil Service Retirement Program, and the Federal Employees Retirement System. (see www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid... )
Fact 9. Congressmen share an expense account totaling an additional $573.9 Million (or $1.07 Million each).
Fact 10. Did you know they also qualify for Social Security and Medicare?
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So let me see if I have this right. 535 people, claiming to represent their constituency, have run up a tab of $138.525 Trillion ... that that constituency must pay ... all while earning $170,000.00 salary each and working with an expense account of another $2931.00 per day ... plus the other benefit packages they have arranged for themselves.
Fact 11. Defense spending. See https://www.davemanuel.com/2010/06/14/us-military-spending-over-the-years/
1962 ... $359.8 Billion
1972 ... $403 Billion
1982 ... $406 6 Billion
1992 ... $441.3 Billion
2002 ... $398.2 Billion
2012 ... $653.4 Billion
The 2012 figure is almost twice what was spent 50 years ago. So now ask yourself ... do I feel safer than I did 10 ... 20 ... or 30 years ago? Well ... do you?
I believe in the Constitution of The United States, the Bill of Rights, and a representative form of government. But I do not feel safer than I did 30 years ago. I do not feel I am appropriately represented by people who would spend $25.8 Billion each (see fact 6 above) and then tell me I have to pay for it.
I do not believe congress should have provided themselves with far better health, welfare, benefit, and retirement packages than they award to any other citizen. If we are to be truly equal our benefits and retirement must be equal too.
I do not believe we should spend more money that we take in ... individually, collectively, or governmentally. I do not believe the public should be held responsible for their spending ... I think they should be responsible ... personally.
To put it another way. if your owned a company (the US Government is actually a corporation) and the people you put in charge of running your company were this irresponsible (perhaps even criminal) ... you'd do something to fix it wouldn't you? Well this is your company, and they are acting irresponsibly ... and it is up to you and I to change things!
Forget all the bustle over the fiscal cliff ... it's all theater. We are over $138 Trillion in debt and they want us to be distracted by their circus acts so no one will notice how much trouble we are in.
Act Now!