Graph of the Week: Big Government Spending

Graph of the Week: Big Government Spending

Featured by Paul Krugman, this graph shows the overall growth in government spending in the past four years, growing from a cold number of just over 4,000 billion dollars to just over 5,000 billion. So, yeah, the government spending has increased, though not dramatically. Notably, the rate of increase since the Obama administration took office has remained largely unchanged. We can talk all we want about the increase of government spending, but it hasn't really changed all that much. And let's not forget why spending has increased.
We were fighting two wars actively- and though the combat mission has since ended in Iraq, America is still acting as a strong financial support in the area. The recession is still in full swing, and the only way to pull ourselves out of the hole we've dug ourselves is to spend. Tax cuts are great, but they are the definition of blind populism. Sometimes, just sometimes, what Americans want and what the economy needs do not match up. And for the good of all America, the economy needs to see a major increase in monetary circulation.
While spending hasn't increased much, in general, what has is good spending. Good for America, good for the economy, and really the only way a recovery will be successful. Next time, before rants about 'big government' and too much spending become the politically acceptable narrative, it is important that why and what spending has become prevalent is examined.