After Four Years Of Trillion Dollar Deficits Democrats Want The Government To Spend Even More

Spending Boom: $1.8 Trillion to $3.6 Trillion In 10 Years

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "Think about it: the federal government spent $1.8 trillion in 2001 and $3.6 trillion last year. These are nominal dollars, I realize, but by any measure the size of government has grown beyond its means. Government spending is totally out of control. We need to start acting like it." (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 12/11/12)

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2001 Total Outlays: $1,862,846 [million] ("The Budget For Fiscal Year 2013," The White House, Historical Tables - Table 1.1, 2/13/12)

2011 Total Outlays: $3,603,061 [million] ("The Budget For Fiscal Year 2013," The White House, Historical Tables - Table 1.1, 2/13/12)

What Are They Spending It On?

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "A few weeks ago, Senator Coburn issued a study that showed taxpayers are funding Moroccan pottery classes, promoting shampoo and other beauty products for cats and dogs, and a video game that allows them to relive prom night. Get this: taxpayers also just spent $325,000 on a Robotic squirrel name RoboSquirrel." (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 12/11/12)

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$325,000 FOR A ROBOSQUIRREL: "This might sound a bit nutty, but U.S. researchers are using robot squirrels to learn more about how real ones interact with their main predator, rattlesnakes." ("'Robosquirrel' Deployed To Research Relationship With Rattlesnakes," CNN, 4/4/12)

• "Understanding predator-prey signaling interactions: the dynamics of antisnake displays in ground squirrels and kangaroo rats. … Awarded Amount to Date: $325,000.00." ("Award Abstract #0951010," National Science Foundation, 9/21/11)

• "[T]his project will… [help] engineers to develop next-generation robotic technologies for the study of animal behavior." ("Award Abstract #0951010," National Science Foundation, 9/21/11)

$516,000 FOR A PROM VIDEO GAME: "Students and faculty at University of California, Santa Cruz are releasing their new online game today ... revisiting that socially-fraught period of high school: Prom Week. Choose a character out of 18 high school students and a setting (lockers, classroom, or parking lot?) and start texting." ("Prom Week: The Next Angry Birds?," Discovery News, 2/14/12)

• National Science Foundation Amount Awarded: $516,000.00 ("Award Abstract #0747522," National Science Foundation, 4/15/08)

$505,000 FOR PET SHAMPOO EQUIPMENT: "$505,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to Sarpy County to aid Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Inc. … The grant will provide $500,000 to help purchase machinery and equipment to be used in the manufacture of pet products, including… pet shampoos and pet toothpaste." ("$505,000 In CDBG Funds For Sarpy County Expansion," Press Release, 3/19/12)

A MOROCCAN POTTERY PROJECT: "On December 3, 2009, USAID/Morocco entered into a 4-year, $27 million task order … to implement the Morocco Economic Competitiveness Project." ("Audit Of USAID/Morocco's Economic Competitiveness Project," USAID Office Of Inspector General, P.5, 12/15/11)

• "…a pottery training activity was poorly implemented and had limited impact." ("Audit Of USAID/Morocco's Economic Competitiveness Project," USAID Office Of Inspector General, P.6, 12/15/11)

• "Participants expressed frustration over the training materials and tools used by the trainer. They noted that the clays and dyes used by the trainer were unavailable for local purchase. Therefore, the techniques demonstrated during the training could not be replicated in Morocco." ("Audit Of USAID/Morocco's Economic Competitiveness Project," USAID Office Of Inspector General, P.6, 12/15/11)