SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Non-Tech : Trends Worth Watching
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: Glenn Petersen who wrote (2711)5/16/2020 5:10:31 PM
From: TimF1 Recommendation

Recommended By
Glenn Petersen

   of 3363
 
In Launching the Innovation Renaissance I said the US was a welfare/warfare state and no longer an innovation state.

Dollars spent go up, the decline as a percentage is because of the increase in other things. The other things mostly on the welfare side if you define that broadly to include all transfers and medical payments whether or not the recipients are poor. Entitlements are basically taking over the budget. Defense declines as a percentage over the years (with up and down cycles but with the peaks and bottoms each being lower then the previous cycle going back to WWII.

Perhaps its less real per capita spending but if so not as much less as the impression the chart gives. Its not just "less real spending" dropping the per capita part, unless you cherry pick the years.

What might be a bigger issue is what you get for the money. Perhaps more of the money is used inefficiently or out right wasted now.

OTOH it can also be argued that the huge spending on the space race didn't have a high rate of return, with much of it spent to develop capabilities in space that were not built on but were left to rot. Yes there were a lot of spin offs, but spend that much money on technology and engineering anything and there is going to be positive spinoffs. Also the space program did serve as something of an inspiration for people to become scientists and engineers, but that's pretty hard to quantify.
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News