Steve Ballmer serves up a data trove about government spending in the US

Post by JamieF1 » Tue, Apr 18, 2017, 6:42 AM UTC

roymurdock wrote: post #48

I have found this website very helpful in the past few years when researching government financial info: http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/total_spending_chart I reached out to the website developer/maintainer/creator, Chris Chantrill, telling him I appreciated his work on the site and asking if he needed help (seems like a 1 man operation?) - here's how he responded: Thanks! I started the site in 2007 when "I coul…

Post by princeb » Tue, Apr 18, 2017, 6:54 AM UTC

donatj wrote: post #16

gumby wrote: post #4

I really never liked Ballmer, but I did love him for the Developers dance, and now, well, this is awesome. I hope he does it in a long-term sustainable way.

Funny and satirical as it is, [1] completely changed my opinion of Steve Ballmer for the positive. > Steve Ballmer. You open the door to his enormous grinning face, and before you know it he’s in the hall handing over a bottle of something cheap (but with such confidence you don’t notice) and he’s giving you the handshake of your life. Then he’s in. Loving it. Loving the music. Loving the food and drink. He’s going u…

Post by justin66 » Tue, Apr 18, 2017, 7:06 AM UTC

grogenaut wrote: post #108

justin66 wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> federal, state, and local levels (don't forget the counties!) The reason that cannot work is that when you get below the state level, you're dealing with governments that might or might not have enough money and motivation to do proper accounting, staffed by people who might or might not have actually gone to college. Mandating they contribute to the "national spreadsheet" would represent an unprecedented impositio…

If they can't track their basic budget how can they be fiscally responsible? Small govt's don't have the luxury of just printing more money.

Post by taurath » Tue, Apr 18, 2017, 7:10 AM UTC

astronautjones wrote: post #43

MisterBastahrd wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I took it to mean "third parties politicize CBO reports" rather than "CBO reports are created with ideological slants," because, well, that's the truth of the matter. You can't criticize a CBO forecast for being slightly inaccurate when politicians decide to change the parameters after the fact.

I think you're correct, but it was poorly worded

Post by white-flame » Tue, Apr 18, 2017, 7:14 AM UTC

justin66 wrote: post #107

jliptzin wrote: post #53

Today I filed my tax return showing all the money that came in and every minute expense required to make that money. Why can't we hold the government to the same standard? There should be one (huge) annual spreadsheet published showing how much money came in (federal, state, and local levels), with a detailed accounting of where every penny went, just like I am required to do for my business to claim deductions.

> federal, state, and local levels (don't forget the counties!) The reason that cannot work is that when you get below the state level, you're dealing with governments that might or might not have enough money and motivation to do proper accounting, staffed by people who might or might not have actually gone to college. Mandating they contribute to the "national spreadsheet" would represent an unprecedented impositio…