In preparing for this Blog Posting I became as confused as you are about just how much our Congress is intending to spend. Every time I turn around there is a new shocking number to be shocked about.
I even stopped turning around but the Gargantuan Money Estimates kept coming my way. I’m having a hard time believing what I am hearing.
Members of our Congress are talking about spending $3.5 to $5 Trillion. Some are talking about spending more than $5 Trillion. The other night I heard $7 to $8 Trillion come out of my TV.
I know that Congress does not understand what a Trillion is. The worst part is it is Football Season and the American Public is Football Distracted until after the Super Bowl. Then they will be into Basketball’s March Madness and the NBA Playoffs. Then, before you know it, it’s Football Season.
My Dear Readers, the wheels may be about to come off the wagon.
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In this Blog Posting I’ll use $5 Trillion. I can just hear Members of Congress, after reading this Blog Posting, standing up in their respective chambers and saying, “By golly 5 ain’t much. It’s not even 6. Why it’s hardly more than 4”.
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How Big Is A Trillion?
The Congressmen who stand up to propose to spend “only” 5 Trillion Dollars ought to be required to say...
I propose to spend 5 Thousand Billion Dollars!
Did that confuse you? Would this help?...
I propose to spend 5 Billion Thousands of Dollars!
How many times have we heard Members of Congress say something like this when they were asked, “What do you want to spend this money on?”...
I am proud to say I propose to research of the age old question, “If a frog’s front legs were big like their hind legs, would they then be able to jump in both directions?”
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I just found out that the most famous quote of the Late Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois was never said by him. He did come close many times because he understood Billions. The famous Dirksen quote that he never said was...
"A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money"
If he were alive today he would be turning over in his grave at the way the word “Trillion” is in vogue in the halls of our Congress.
Would I kid u?
Smartfella
Lagniappe: Fella’s Easy to Understand Guide for Members of Congress. Now they are sure to understand ...Or are they?
Trillion...5,000,000,000,000 = 5 thousand billions of dollars
Billion...5,000,000,000 = 5 thousand millions of dollars
Million...5,000,000 = 5 thousand thousands of dollars
1 comment:
Maybe it might be easier for our congressites (or is congressers) to understand if, with each vote to spend, they need to kick in their own personal share, I mean here the per capita share, for themselves and their dependent families. Then a few tens-of-thousands dollars here and few thousands of dollars there might cut enough into their lunch money so they get the message.
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