What does one trillion dollars look like?

[RER40]

Talking about the federal deficit....

What does one trillion dollars look like?

It's a BIGGER pile of money than anyone can imagine.

I've long told people that a Million dollars really isn't that much money....
...... it's just a thousand thousand
...... even a Billion is only a thousand million


....... but a TRILLION? Now THAT is serious money.


for a look, click the link = http://www.ptm.org/uni/resources/ptmupdate/032309/conclusion.html

[Bongo Fury]

I always put these federal government numbers into some perspective by figuring them per person.

I believe there is about 300 million of us, or about $3,300+ a head.

Even scarier, but perhaps far more appropriate, I think there is around 100 million of us working full time....

That's $10,000 for each of us working stiffs. Plus interest. And it just keeps getting bigger. Beyond frickin' scary.

[RER40]

OK, I'm all for elimination the elderly from the equation - but what happened to the rest of the tally?

[Bongo Fury]

First I should point out that I don’t claim the number to be exact, but I do remember reading it somewhere, not sure how long ago though. I think what I read had a breakdown, but I don’t recall much on that.

But hey, not being one to let the lack of any real facts get in the way of a conversation, after all it's only the Internet, I’ll speculate:

Children. That’s a pretty substantial number.
Gotta be careful how I say this one, but spouses who don’t work outside the home.
Part time workers.
Various types of undocumented workers.
Those simply unemployed.
Those with large inheritances and such. Granted probably not a big number.
Don't we have a pretty significant prison population?
And the elderly/retired count for quite a few I’m sure, Social Security is always broke for a reason I would assume (hope?).
And my favorite, bums!
I’m sure I’m overlooking something fairly obvious as usual.

As I run through my family and friends, the ratio holds up reasonably well, at least as a rough ballpark thing. You know, no need to take the shoes off to do the really big math.

P.S. Looking back at my post, I wonder if I have a clue on the use of is/are. Wouldn't "I think there are 100 million of us.." make a little more sense?

[RER40]

Sure, let's speculate and postulate - it's just the 'Net anyway......

Children. - OK, children are a burden on the system as much as any other consumer (wage-maker or not). And the way I look at it is that I paid my kids' way till they moved out, so these morons having 18 freaking kids and getting famous on TV need to be pick up their kids' share of the burden till their kids are ready to shell out.
spouses who don’t work outside the home. - gotcha, they ARE part of the system and in most cases don't work because they can "afford" not to. So they pay.
Part time workers. - As with the above they usually do it because they can afford it. So they pay their full individual tab.
Various types of undocumented workers. - The vast overwhelming majority of undocumented workers are low wage makers, already down on their luck, have little they can benefit from the system so leave them alone till they get on their feet.
Those simply unemployed. - Sure they can't pay now, but they still owe their share.
Those with large inheritances and such. - Hit them with a the same way they do with windfall profit taxes. It's like winning the freaking lottery, so pay up.
Don't we have a pretty significant prison population? - Iffy being able to get it, since the majority of our current prison system is filled by lifelong problem "children" - but I personally think we should be taxing them, and making them pay to stay "housed and fed". but that's another discussion.
And the elderly/retired count for quite a few I’m sure, Social Security is always broke for a reason I would assume (hope?). - Elderly have paid their dues, and in most cases don't have the money and we don't need to be screwing with them.
And my favorite, bums! - I guess this category could also be filled by the mentally handicapped (since the majority of schitzophrenics are homeless), but they have enough of their own problems. Otherwise Panhandling Bums are drunks, and when was the last time you ever heard of getting anything of substance out of someone drunk.

Next???

First I should point out that I don’t claim the number to be exact, but I do remember reading it somewhere, not sure how long ago though. I think what I read had a breakdown, but I don’t recall much on that.

But hey, not being one to let the lack of any real facts get in the way of a conversation, after all it's only the Internet, I’ll speculate:

Children. That’s a pretty substantial number.
Gotta be careful how I say this one, but spouses who don’t work outside the home.
Part time workers.
Various types of undocumented workers.
Those simply unemployed.
Those with large inheritances and such. Granted probably not a big number.
Don't we have a pretty significant prison population?
And the elderly/retired count for quite a few I’m sure, Social Security is always broke for a reason I would assume (hope?).
And my favorite, bums!
I’m sure I’m overlooking something fairly obvious as usual.

As I run through my family and friends, the ratio holds up reasonably well, at least as a rough ballpark thing. You know, no need to take the shoes off to do the really big math.

P.S. Looking back at my post, I wonder if I have a clue on the use of is/are. Wouldn't "I think there are 100 million of us.." make a little more sense?

[Halgar]

Sure, let's speculate and postulate - it's just the 'Net anyway......

The problem with your list is that it's only the wage earners who pay the taxes. More emphasis needs to be put towards large corporate America who pay very little in tax because they can afford the fleet of attorneys to find loopholes and manipulate the system to their benefit, so that when we bail their arses out, they can give multi-million dollar bonuses to their executives.

Don't even get me started on the politicians who are pissing away our money as well.


But then, this is just the internet ...

[RER40]

The problem with your list is that it's only the wage earners who pay the taxes. More emphasis needs to be put towards large corporate America who pay very little in tax because they can afford the fleet of attorneys to find loopholes and manipulate the system to their benefit, so that when we bail their arses out, they can give multi-million dollar bonuses to their executives.

Don't even get me started on the politicians who are pissing away our money as well.


But then, this is just the internet ...

I'm with ya, but the problem is not so much the bevy of corporate attorneys finding loopholes,
it's our communities and municipalites (and commissioners) that are the ones to blame -------
because corporate America only takes what is offered.... so the reason companies (like Walmart for example) is able to abandon a piece of property when they build a new Super-Wally to replace the old one is because they're not paying taxes on it (your city council gave them the loophole to help lure them when wally said they were hinking about coming) and in many cases have a 99-year lease in place for $1 a year (or something silly) on a city-owned parcel...............

.........and the game goes on and on..............