TOMPAINE.com - What Can $87 Billion Buy?:
"$87b Is More Than Double The Total Amount The Government Spends On Homeland Security
The U.S. spends about $36 billion on homeland security. Yet, Sen. Warren Rudman (R-N.H.) wrote 'America will fall approximately $98.4 billion short of meeting critical emergency responder needs' for homeland security without a funding increase. [Source: Council on Foreign Relations]

$87b Is More Than The Combined Total Of All State Budget Deficits In The United States

The Bush administration proposed absolutely zero funds to help states deal with these deficits, despite the fact that their tax cuts drove down state revenues. [Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]


$87b Is Rougly The Total Of Two Years Worth Of All U.S. Unemployment Benefits

The U.S. spends about $50 billion a year on unemployment insurance. At least 1.1 million people have exhausted all of their unemployment benefits without finding a job, and yet Congress has refused to extend benefits. [Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]

$87b Is Enough To Pay The 3.3 Million People Who Have Lost Jobs $26,363 Each
The unemployment benefits extension passed by Congress at the beginning of this year provides zero benefits to 'workers who exhausted their regular, state unemployment benefits and cannot find work.' All told, two thirds of unemployed workers have exhausted their benefits. [Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]


- posted by geoff @ #