What is a billion?
This is too true to be funny.
The next time you hear a politician use the word ‘billion’ in a casual manner, think about whether you want the ‘politicians’ spending YOUR tax money.
A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.
A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.
While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let’s take a look at New Orleans It’s amazing what you can learn with some simple division:
Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans.
Interesting number, what does it mean?
A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman and child), you each get $516,528.
B. Or if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or if you are a family of four , your family gets $2,066,012.
Washington, D.C .. HELLO!!! … Are all your calculators broken??
> > Accounts Receivable Tax
> > Building Permit Tax
> > CDL License Tax
> > Cigarette Tax
> > Corporate Income Tax
> > Dog License T ax
> > Federal Income Tax
> > Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
> > Fishing License Tax
> > Food License Tax
> > Fuel Perm it Tax
> > Gasoline Tax
> > Hunting License Tax
> > Inheritance Tax
> > Inventory Tax
> > IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
> > IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
> > Liquor Tax
> > Luxury Tax
> > Marriage License Tax
> > Medicare Tax
> > Property Tax
> > Real Estate Tax
> > Service charge taxes
> > Social Security Ta x
> > Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
> > Sales Taxes
> > Recreational Vehicle Tax
> > School Tax
> > State Income Tax
> > State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
> > Telephone Federal Excise Tax
> > Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
> > Telephone Federal, State and Local Su rcharge Tax
> > Telephone Minimum Usage Su rcharge Tax
> > Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
> > Telephone State and Local Tax
> > Telephone Usage Charge Tax
> > Utility Tax
> > Vehicle License Registration Tax
> > Vehicle Sales Tax
> > Watercraft Registration Tax
> > Well Permit Tax
> > Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What happened? Can you spell ‘politicians!’
Thanks Gene
We had politicians 100 years ago too, and we were not the most prosperous country on earth. It was only after WWII shattered every other world power’s economy, infrastructure and a generation of workers that we became the strongest still standing. I’m fairly sure some if not most of those taxes existed 100 years ago as well. 100 years ago only 40% of US doctors had a college degree, there were virtually no interstates, no minimum wage, very little electricity, barely any cars and most Americans didn’t graduate High School.
No matter though, it’s not like your tax dollars went to anything good like the Tennessee Valley Authority which powered the entire south. Or funded the Space Program which gave us everything from the computers you’re using now to sweet sweet Tang. It’s not like they pay for farm subsidies which keep your food cheap. Or Interstate roads which bring you goods and make it easy to travel.
As for money spent to rebuild New Orleans, I’m happy to pay to fix the disaster the government allowed to happen after Hurricane Katrina. How about the 1.3 Billion being spent EVERY DAY screwing up Iraq though? We had no real, serious debt until Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush and George W. Bush put the country 9 TRILLION in debt (4.3 of which is courtesy of the current President).
But let’s really get out our calculators here
One Billion seconds is 31.7 years, making it 1976
One Billion Minutes is 1901 years, making it 107 AD, around 74 years after Jesus
The Bill in question was introduced by Mary Landrieu (D-LA) AND David Vitter (R-Prostitutes) and was meant for all of the Gulf Coast region, not just Louisiana.
This is a great site, I just wish you wouldn’t swallow these junk emails wholecloth
well original post did get one to think. which is good, instead of just going with the status queue.. Government is like a snow ball, and keeps growing in an out of control rate. with today’s technologies, no one should be raped at the gas pump like they are, there is no reason at all for this… corporate America is to blame along with the tax cuts etc. brought to you but you got it government…
just look at the money spent for a president to get elected… then look at the pathic choices we have…the last two elections and there recounts… what a joke…
Expat,
Thank you for being the FIRST person to speak in support of the citizens in New Orleans in response to this post. I am a native New Orleanian and my mother lives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and had to respond to the inaccuracies concerning New Orleans in this post many, many times. First, the requested money, for 3 states affected by Katrina, not just New Orleans , never even made it to a vote. Secondly, it was requested by democrat Mary Landrieu AND republican David Vitter. Thirdly, the money that was legislated, STILL has not made it totally to the hands of the citizens (almost 3 years later) and that which has made it to the people is now being asked back for some. Government on all levels, INCLUDING federal government, has been absent at best and a hindrance in most cases. The cruelty of this government is legion and the examples in the last years are simply too numerous to list. I use to believe in “America”. I voted proudly for Bush. I now know I was a fool. Today, the ONLY thing that keeps my faith in America alive are the WONDERFUL volunteers that are still coming to LA and MS to help their fellow citizens dig out. They bring hope for the future with them. We ARE rebuilding, but government has NOTHING to do with it. The fat cats get the money and plans are made and NOTHING is done. That is the truth of government today. As we spend $5000 a second to rebuild Iraq, it breaks my heart that America ignores the rubble of the Gulf South.
I supose you know:
In spanish and another language, a Billion is a million of millions, not one thousand millions. It makes a lot of false friends in the traductions.
missed income tax, capital gains, barber license, professional engineering exam fee, learners permit tax, driver;s license tax …..
“If you walk I’ll tax your feet
If you sit I’ll tax your seat”
so with the taxes, you dont wanna pay for medicare? social security? schools? roads? most of those taxes are avoidable too. dont buy liquor or cigs and you wont pay the taxes for them. i do think some taxes go overboard but a lot are necessary. my main problem is not knowing where my money actually goes. but i dont expect to live somewhere where i get everything for free.
and as for new orleans. i understand the heartache of what happened and the need and want to rebuild. but there was warning that this was going to happen for decades. everyone laughed at/ignored the scientists (im a geologist) until it happened. then all they could say was “Where was the warning?”. i think we should rebuild but it WILL happen again. it may be tomorrow it may be in 100 years and it may be much much worse. when the big earthquake comes in cali we are gonna again hear the “where was the warning?”. people tend to ignore science until they need it