It all comes from your pocket – well at least some of it does.

For at least a year (an understatement), when ever you turn on a TV or read the news paper, talk with friends, listen to the radio, communicate in any shape or form, you have heard and probably been overwhelmed with all of the government spending and subsidizing.

Has any one ever sat down to calculate how much our government is actually spending? And I don’t just mean the $700 billion revive and recovery bill passed in 2008 or the $787 billion stimulus package approved this year (2009). Those numbers stare us in the face every day, whether its on CNN, network television or one of the many printed sources around the country. I mean all of this little things our government provides for.

Is it possible that these two numbers, over a trillion dollars,  hinder everyone from other government spending? It was just this morning that I heard on CNN that our government was planning on sending $900 million to Gaza for aid. This grabbed my attention because CNN mentioned it and moved on like it was nothing. Now before you judge me as a cold hearted asshole who doesn’t care about the rest of the world I’d like to explain that I do agree the U.S. should offer aid and support across the world – this story just got me thinking.

After just a few minutes of research on CNN, the Washington Post and the Herald Tribune I found some other proposed and planned spending by our government for the next several years. Take a look as you may not know about these:

• $700B revive and recover (2008)
• $787B stimulus package (2009)
• $900M Gaza rebuild (2009)
• $198M to Filipino Vets (2009)
• $30B to Israel Military Aid (2009 – 25% more preceding the Bush admin)
• $130B in Auto Bailout (proposed 2008-2009)
• $2.7-4.2T issue in bonds (propossed2009)
• $1T in revitalized lending (proposed 2009)

–Just to name a few–

Where does this money come from and who allows legislation to pass for these? At the time I wrote this (10:16 AM 2-24-09), thanks to a handy widget, the U.S.  National debt was $9,959,088,400,000.00 (with roughly $6T of that being held by the public) and of that, my share was $32,698.55 (about 60K for people who work).  But all things set aside economists say there will be a small recovery in 2009 and a solid recover in 2010. I understand I am talking on two different spectrums (economic growth, stimulus, job loss GDP, etc.), but the last time i checked if I was going to be in debt I would not be making a full recovery for some time – especially that much. I digress back to my original point.

If the U.S. is so far into debt how is it possible we continue to bail out companies (some that are VC’s), dish out stimulus packages and provide other countries with aid – all at the same time?

Why and how is it possibe, because China (mainland), Japan, the UK and Carribean banking centers hold about 50 percent of our debt. I find this funny because technically the U.S can never go into debt, because of seigniorage. But of course if we continued down that path it would eventually to hyperinflation. So we stand up to our necks and debt.  And, like every generation before us, and many after mine, I will cotinue to pay for – even though I dont even make enough to cover “my share” (the 60K for people who work) our governments egregious spending.

So what will I do when I get that nice stimulus check? Ehh, probably the same as everyone else, spend a little, save a little. Why?  I still want to retire by the age 35 (not looking so good right now). I want to be able to put my kids through college and have a nice savings fund to get that 35 foot jeanueu sail boat (that for you Pops). But we must remember that none of that will happen unless we invest back into our own economy.