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Paint Me a Picture
Author: BobR
Date: 03/05/2010 13:39:45
A picture is worth a thousand words, so the saying goes. Graphs in particular can bring a table of sterile data to life in a way that simple words cannot. My intention today is to let the pictures do the talking, and keep my words to a minimum. By my count, this blog will be worth over 5000 words! Much has been bandied about recently regarding the deficit and the process of budget reconciliation, so I will focus on that.
Let's start with a simple one. Three examples of budget reconciliation in action, and their effects on the budget balance:
source: The Rachel Maddow Show
So it's obvious that the Republicans used the budget reconciliation process twice in recent years to increase the deficit, and the health care bill will decrease the deficit. That leads us to the next question: Why is the budget reconciliation process even necessary? To get around the 60 vote super-majority filibuster, something the Republicans have been using to ridiculous amounts (please note that this only includes data to 2008):
source: Wikipedia
So why is the health care bill so important, with regards to the budget?
source: The Business Insider
That yellow line represents what will happen on our current course. The blue line is what will happen with the healthcare bill, and the red line is what could happen if we went further and implemented a Canadian-type system.
These are projections of course. The reality of the actual budget deficits for the last 20 years can be seen here:
source: Scott Davis, MBA
There is an inaccuracy with this graph however. The first year of any presidency is running with the last budget of the previous presidency. Therefore, that last bar for 2009 was actual Bush's last budget before he left office. The other colors should likewise be shifted to the right.
Finally, the importance of returning to the budget surpluses of the Clinton era are supremely important for one big reason: The interest on the debt. This chart shows what will happen if we don't turn things around:
source: The Business Insider
The chart was meant to show why freezing discretionary spending was meaningless in the big picture, but it aptly shows how the interest on our dept will crush us in 40 years if we don't start paying it off.
Bonus chart!!: Jobs Lost/Gained under Bush and Obama:
source: The Business Insider
Happy Friday!
Let's start with a simple one. Three examples of budget reconciliation in action, and their effects on the budget balance:
source: The Rachel Maddow Show
So it's obvious that the Republicans used the budget reconciliation process twice in recent years to increase the deficit, and the health care bill will decrease the deficit. That leads us to the next question: Why is the budget reconciliation process even necessary? To get around the 60 vote super-majority filibuster, something the Republicans have been using to ridiculous amounts (please note that this only includes data to 2008):
source: Wikipedia
So why is the health care bill so important, with regards to the budget?
source: The Business Insider
That yellow line represents what will happen on our current course. The blue line is what will happen with the healthcare bill, and the red line is what could happen if we went further and implemented a Canadian-type system.
These are projections of course. The reality of the actual budget deficits for the last 20 years can be seen here:
source: Scott Davis, MBA
There is an inaccuracy with this graph however. The first year of any presidency is running with the last budget of the previous presidency. Therefore, that last bar for 2009 was actual Bush's last budget before he left office. The other colors should likewise be shifted to the right.
Finally, the importance of returning to the budget surpluses of the Clinton era are supremely important for one big reason: The interest on the debt. This chart shows what will happen if we don't turn things around:
source: The Business Insider
The chart was meant to show why freezing discretionary spending was meaningless in the big picture, but it aptly shows how the interest on our dept will crush us in 40 years if we don't start paying it off.
Bonus chart!!: Jobs Lost/Gained under Bush and Obama:
source: The Business Insider
Happy Friday!
Comments:
Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments
Comment by 
wickedpam on 03/05/2010 13:48:05
wickedpam on 03/05/2010 13:48:05
Morning 
Comment by 
Raine on 03/05/2010 13:55:06
Raine on 03/05/2010 13:55:06
Does the Budget Deficit chart also include the war costs that Obama put in the budget?
morning! very informative, blog!
morning! very informative, blog!
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 14:29:46
Raine on 03/05/2010 14:29:46
I can live with a mandate as long as there is an exchange. This is a critical part of all of it regarding Health care reform.
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 14:41:42
Raine on 03/05/2010 14:41:42
I know this story broke yesterday, about the RNC fundraising plan but did it strike anyone else that these are the signs that the Tea Partiers like to march around with? (see image #7)
Comment by wickedpam on 03/05/2010 14:52:22
wickedpam on 03/05/2010 14:52:22
please I can't rely on my neighbors to take the toys out of there front yard to make the place less trashy
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 14:52:59
Jesus wanted people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps according to this caller!
Raine on 03/05/2010 14:52:59
Jesus wanted people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps according to this caller!
Comment by wickedpam on 03/05/2010 14:53:57
wickedpam on 03/05/2010 14:53:57
that would their strappy sandels
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 15:17:12
I don't know who was funnier last night.. Colbert ...
or Rachel!
Raine on 03/05/2010 15:17:12
I don't know who was funnier last night.. Colbert ... | The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Tip/Wag - James O'Keefe & Sean Hannity | ||||
| ||||
or Rachel!
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 15:17:52
Good one!
Raine on 03/05/2010 15:17:52
Quote by wickedpam:
that would their strappy sandels
Good one!
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 15:29:38
Raine on 03/05/2010 15:29:38
So an interesting thing happened on the way to the Justice Roberts retiring rumor...
This particular class of law students officially have me concerned. I hope they learned the lesson here. This is why I do not freak out every time I read a story.
And why research is important.
This particular class of law students officially have me concerned. I hope they learned the lesson here. This is why I do not freak out every time I read a story.
And why research is important.
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 15:37:57
Raine on 03/05/2010 15:37:57
ooOOOoo
That was an interesting tidbit from Jim
I can't wait to see the real audio for Palin's standup
That was an interesting tidbit from Jim
I can't wait to see the real audio for Palin's standup
Comment by wickedpam on 03/05/2010 15:50:30
wickedpam on 03/05/2010 15:50:30
Pentagon shooter being depicted as 9/11 Truther
Has anyone noticed this trend since the Holocust shootings or is it just me?
Has anyone noticed this trend since the Holocust shootings or is it just me?
Comment by wickedpam on 03/05/2010 15:54:58
wickedpam on 03/05/2010 15:54:58
There are laser beams in the Bible? 
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 15:56:08
I have.
The anger level is off the hook.
Raine on 03/05/2010 15:56:08
Quote by wickedpam:
Pentagon shooter being depicted as 9/11 Truther
Has anyone noticed this trend since the Holocust shootings or is it just me?
I have.
The anger level is off the hook.
Comment by 
Scoopster on 03/05/2010 16:16:10
Scoopster on 03/05/2010 16:16:10
Morning all & Happy Fridee! 
Been a crazy morning here.. yesterday the office server was acting funny (i.e. shutting itself off and turning back on five minutes later) so we decided to give it a good cleaning and inspection today. Well.. after I finished cleaning the sucker out I went to turn it back on and.... NOTHING!
About a half hour later, I tried to turn it on again and it seemed fine, but there was a noticeable ticking noise inside. So I open it up again and find one dead fan (trying to spin, but not moving and creating a whole lotta heat!) and another fan that's ticking as if it had a baseball card stuck in it. Fantastic!
Been a crazy morning here.. yesterday the office server was acting funny (i.e. shutting itself off and turning back on five minutes later) so we decided to give it a good cleaning and inspection today. Well.. after I finished cleaning the sucker out I went to turn it back on and.... NOTHING!
About a half hour later, I tried to turn it on again and it seemed fine, but there was a noticeable ticking noise inside. So I open it up again and find one dead fan (trying to spin, but not moving and creating a whole lotta heat!) and another fan that's ticking as if it had a baseball card stuck in it. Fantastic!
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 16:17:53
Raine on 03/05/2010 16:17:53
Shelagh on Momma!
Comment by wickedpam on 03/05/2010 16:21:08
wickedpam on 03/05/2010 16:21:08
I missed Shelagh 
Comment by 
livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:25:59
livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:25:59
Good morning everyone.
Got up in time to hear ShelaghC call in to Momma. I have been off the last two days but I still feel sleepy. I need to get back to sleeping at normal hours but I would also need a job that had normal hours.
Got up in time to hear ShelaghC call in to Momma. I have been off the last two days but I still feel sleepy. I need to get back to sleeping at normal hours but I would also need a job that had normal hours.
Comment by livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:34:16
livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:34:16
Also, don't forget all the jobs that were lost during most of Bush's first term since there were a number of jobs lost in 2001-2003 which were replaced by lower paying jobs which reflected the job trend during Chimpy's presidency.
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 16:34:40
Raine on 03/05/2010 16:34:40
Random if you are out there... I am thinking of you and send a little
I always think of him when I read Wonkette.
I always think of him when I read Wonkette.
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 16:35:49
Will fan replacement fix this?
Raine on 03/05/2010 16:35:49
Quote by Scoopster:
Morning all & Happy Fridee!
Been a crazy morning here.. yesterday the office server was acting funny (i.e. shutting itself off and turning back on five minutes later) so we decided to give it a good cleaning and inspection today. Well.. after I finished cleaning the sucker out I went to turn it back on and.... NOTHING!
About a half hour later, I tried to turn it on again and it seemed fine, but there was a noticeable ticking noise inside. So I open it up again and find one dead fan (trying to spin, but not moving and creating a whole lotta heat!) and another fan that's ticking as if it had a baseball card stuck in it. Fantastic!
Will fan replacement fix this?
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 16:36:56
I think you might fall under that category, Liv.
Raine on 03/05/2010 16:36:56
Quote by livingonli:
Also, don't forget all the jobs that were lost during most of Bush's first term since there were a number of jobs lost in 2001-2003 which were replaced by lower paying jobs which reflected the job trend during Chimpy's presidency.
I think you might fall under that category, Liv.
Comment by Scoopster on 03/05/2010 16:37:12
Yessiree! I have a spare fan at home to replace the dead one, but the ticking one is a little bugger on one of the motherboard chips so it needs to be special ordered.
Scoopster on 03/05/2010 16:37:12
Quote by Raine:Quote by Scoopster:
Morning all & Happy Fridee!
Been a crazy morning here.. yesterday the office server was acting funny (i.e. shutting itself off and turning back on five minutes later) so we decided to give it a good cleaning and inspection today. Well.. after I finished cleaning the sucker out I went to turn it back on and.... NOTHING!
About a half hour later, I tried to turn it on again and it seemed fine, but there was a noticeable ticking noise inside. So I open it up again and find one dead fan (trying to spin, but not moving and creating a whole lotta heat!) and another fan that's ticking as if it had a baseball card stuck in it. Fantastic!
Will fan replacement fix this?
Yessiree! I have a spare fan at home to replace the dead one, but the ticking one is a little bugger on one of the motherboard chips so it needs to be special ordered.
Comment by livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:40:52
And I could be one of the few who went through that coming back to the same company that he was laid off from.
livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:40:52
Quote by Raine:Quote by livingonli:
Also, don't forget all the jobs that were lost during most of Bush's first term since there were a number of jobs lost in 2001-2003 which were replaced by lower paying jobs which reflected the job trend during Chimpy's presidency.
I think you might fall under that category, Liv.
And I could be one of the few who went through that coming back to the same company that he was laid off from.
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 16:47:34
Jim wasn't making that up.
More Details. For the record. Symbolman is the co-author of Going Rogue. I have had the pleasure of talking to him, he's a good person.
And more: Did Leno use canned laughter?
I can give more proof, but I suggest one go back and listen:
Raine on 03/05/2010 16:47:34
Quote by Raine:
ooOOOoo
That was an interesting tidbit from Jim
I can't wait to see the real audio for Palin's standup
More Details. For the record. Symbolman is the co-author of Going Rogue. I have had the pleasure of talking to him, he's a good person.
And more: Did Leno use canned laughter?
I can give more proof, but I suggest one go back and listen:
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 16:52:43
Raine on 03/05/2010 16:52:43
AND... I as a non Jay Leno Fan am left wondering... did Jay play Sarah? She is an idiot in the most clinical sense at this point. She was fed the words to say (much like the McCain campaign) and read them well.
She is a born newscaster. I will give her that.
I want the REAL AUDIO, and I suspect it will surface.
She is a born newscaster. I will give her that.
I want the REAL AUDIO, and I suspect it will surface.
Comment by livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:55:28
livingonli on 03/05/2010 16:55:28
The kittie is sleeping snugly on my bed right now. She looks cute when she puts her paw over her head.
Comment by 
TriSec on 03/05/2010 17:03:03
TriSec on 03/05/2010 17:03:03
Passing through. Quiet Friday in this city.
I for one will miss Bill Delahunt. He had some baggage, yes (what politician doesn't?), but he was a true and decent advocate for adoptions of all stripes. He will be missed, at least in the adoption community.
I for one will miss Bill Delahunt. He had some baggage, yes (what politician doesn't?), but he was a true and decent advocate for adoptions of all stripes. He will be missed, at least in the adoption community.
Comment by TriSec on 03/05/2010 17:21:26
TriSec on 03/05/2010 17:21:26
Ah, and there are some who believe the revolution started 240 years ago on this day.
On the cold, snowy night of March 5, 1770, a mob of angry colonists gathers at the Customs House in Boston and begins tossing snowballs and rocks at the lone British soldier guarding the building. The protesters opposed the occupation of their city by British troops, who were sent to Boston in 1768 to enforce unpopular taxation measures passed by a British parliament without direct American representation.
The previous Friday, British soldiers looking for part-time work and local Bostonian laborers had brawled at John Hancockýs wharf. After the brouhaha escalated to include forty soldiers, their colonel, William Dalrymple confined them to their barracks. Peace settled over the city during the two-day observance of the Puritan Sabbath. However, tempers on both sides were still flaring and no one expected Monday, March 5, to pass without incident. After sunset, the brawl between Boston civilians and British soldiers began again.
When the customs-house sentinel called for assistance, a British corporal and seven soldiers came to his aid. Two of these reinforcements had been among the soldiers brawling on Hancockýs wharf the previous Friday. British Captain Thomas Preston assumed command of the riled Redcoats and ordered them to fix their bayonets. As the crowd dared the snow-pelted soldiers to fire, Private Hugh Montgomery slipped and fell, leading him to discharge his rifle into the jeering crowd. The other soldiers began firing a moment later, and when the smoke cleared, five colonists were dead or dying: Crispus Attucks, Patrick Carr, Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick and James Caldwell. Three more were injured. Although it is unclear whether Crispus Attucks, a sailor of African and Indian ancestry, was the first to fall, as is commonly believed, the deaths of the five men are sometimes regarded as the first fatalities of the American Revolution.
Comment by 
Mondobubba on 03/05/2010 18:24:10
Mondobubba on 03/05/2010 18:24:10
Bob, the blog today has to be the wonkiest thing you've ever done. It makes my little wonky heart go pitty-pat-pitty-pat.
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 20:20:40
Randi is talking about this issue right now.
Raine on 03/05/2010 20:20:40
Quote by wickedpam:
Pentagon shooter being depicted as 9/11 Truther
Has anyone noticed this trend since the Holocust shootings or is it just me?
Randi is talking about this issue right now.
Comment by 
clintster on 03/05/2010 20:48:09
clintster on 03/05/2010 20:48:09
What day is it, ya bahstads?
Comment by livingonli on 03/05/2010 21:21:01
There are some right people like isolationists and some in the Libertarian camp who are in the movement because they shared the dislike and distrust of Bush that many of us have.
livingonli on 03/05/2010 21:21:01
Quote by Raine:Quote by wickedpam:
Pentagon shooter being depicted as 9/11 Truther
Has anyone noticed this trend since the Holocust shootings or is it just me?
Randi is talking about this issue right now.
There are some right people like isolationists and some in the Libertarian camp who are in the movement because they shared the dislike and distrust of Bush that many of us have.
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 22:08:18
Oh I'm am SO saving this for next week!
Raine on 03/05/2010 22:08:18
Quote by clintster:
What day is it, ya bahstads?
Oh I'm am SO saving this for next week!
Comment by Raine on 03/05/2010 22:10:47
I don't think they were willing to act out that distrust before this new president cam into office.
Just something to think about.
Why are these people doing this shit now?
Raine on 03/05/2010 22:10:47
Quote by livingonli:Quote by Raine:Quote by wickedpam:
Pentagon shooter being depicted as 9/11 Truther
Has anyone noticed this trend since the Holocust shootings or is it just me?
Randi is talking about this issue right now.
There are some right people like isolationists and some in the Libertarian camp who are in the movement because they shared the dislike and distrust of Bush that many of us have.
Just something to think about.
Why are these people doing this shit now?
Comment by livingonli on 03/05/2010 22:13:35
The Tea Party people aren't necessarily in the 9-11 Truth movement. Judging by the rhetoric, most of them supported the disaster that was the Bush administration, they probably were more upset about Clinton's BJ than anything Bush did. They are not necessarily in the same camp although there may be a small overlap.
livingonli on 03/05/2010 22:13:35
Quote by Raine:I don't think they were willing to act out that distrust before this new president cam into office.Quote by livingonli:Quote by Raine:Quote by wickedpam:
Pentagon shooter being depicted as 9/11 Truther
Has anyone noticed this trend since the Holocust shootings or is it just me?
Randi is talking about this issue right now.
There are some right people like isolationists and some in the Libertarian camp who are in the movement because they shared the dislike and distrust of Bush that many of us have.
Just something to think about.
Why are these people doing this shit now?
The Tea Party people aren't necessarily in the 9-11 Truth movement. Judging by the rhetoric, most of them supported the disaster that was the Bush administration, they probably were more upset about Clinton's BJ than anything Bush did. They are not necessarily in the same camp although there may be a small overlap.
Comment by 
BobR on 03/05/2010 22:21:07
Pictures! We need pictures!
BobR on 03/05/2010 22:21:07
Quote by livingonli:
The kittie is sleeping snugly on my bed right now. She looks cute when she puts her paw over her head.
Pictures! We need pictures!
Comment by BobR on 03/05/2010 22:22:30
I know I've seen better charts than the ones I used, but I couldn't find them. These weren't bad though...
BobR on 03/05/2010 22:22:30
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob, the blog today has to be the wonkiest thing you've ever done. It makes my little wonky heart go pitty-pat-pitty-pat.
I know I've seen better charts than the ones I used, but I couldn't find them. These weren't bad though...
Comment by Scoopster on 03/05/2010 23:37:15
Scoopster on 03/05/2010 23:37:15
Whoa... Eric Massa just announced he's resigning because of a harassment complaint by one of his staffers.
Comment by TriSec on 03/06/2010 01:47:36
TriSec on 03/06/2010 01:47:36
This is absolutely the most INSANELY hard-core bit of plane porn I've watched in a long, long time....
Comment by Raine on 03/06/2010 03:53:30
I thought it was because his cancer returned... HE said so as well, and denied the Politico hit piece.
Raine on 03/06/2010 03:53:30
Quote by Scoopster:
Whoa... Eric Massa just announced he's resigning because of a harassment complaint by one of his staffers.
Comment by Raine on 03/06/2010 04:14:54
Shit. I take that back. I am seeing it all over the internets. SHIT SHIT SHIT,
Please tell me why Vitter is still in office and WHY Nathan Deal recanted his resignation?
Raine on 03/06/2010 04:14:54
Quote by Raine:I thought it was because his cancer returned... HE said so as well, and denied the Politico hit piece.Quote by Scoopster:
Whoa... Eric Massa just announced he's resigning because of a harassment complaint by one of his staffers.
Please tell me why Vitter is still in office and WHY Nathan Deal recanted his resignation?
Comment by livingonli on 03/06/2010 05:15:10
livingonli on 03/06/2010 05:15:10
And don't forget Larry Craig was able to finish out his term in a wide stance.