Federal Spending Archives

Nattering Nabobs

By Econ70 | 01/30/2014

While naysayers dismissed today’s 3.2% Q4 annualized GDP growth number because 0.42% of it was from a rise in inventories, excluding them Q4 GDP was 2.8% while Q3 GDP was just 2.5%! Moreover, a drastic decline in federal government defense spending along with the government closure clipped 0.98% from Q4 GDP growth while residential construction,…

Accidental Growth

By Econ70 | 08/26/2013

While Congress will inevitably pass a Continuing Resolution to fund the government beyond 9/30/13 when the current CR expires, a key question is at what spending level. If current funding levels are carried into FY14, as is usually the case for short term CRs (but maybe not this time), they would exceed the 2014 budget…

Dibilitating Debt Service

By Econ70 | 04/05/2011

Interest on the federal debt is 1.4% of GDP; $200 billion. But, it is projected to ramp up fast for 2 reasons. 1st we add $1.4 tillion to it every year and 2nd interest rates are at historic lows. If the annual deficit remains unchanged for 3 years and if interest rates double interest on…