The Pentagon, 20 years, and 7.5 *Trillion* Dollars in unaudited funding.

[Cthulhu 2020]

People loooove talking about how much indebt America is yadayadayada. But what are the consequenses? Jack shit from the looks of it.

A lot of people also don't understand how the debt works. Banks bid on interest amounts to loan the federal government money every 2 weeks so that the govt can pay its bills. The oldest or the most costly debts are being paid back, while new ones are being borrowed. The US govt doesn't have a credit limit other than the "debt ceiling" which doesn't mean a whole lot since it keeps being raised.

The govt doesn't just go to Bank of America and say "hey bro can I have some more money on top of that 14T I owe ya? I promise I'll pay it back."

The consequence of such borrowing is just wasting money on interest rates, which is eating a huge amount of the budget. Defaulting on that debt however (declaring that it is impossible to pay back) would crash the value of the dollar and the world economy.

[Zallex]

Less than welfare programs

[obdigore]

If you took 1% of that and put it in to NASA all those years ago, you'd likely be screwing that sexy alien from another planet you've only managed to see in japanese anime!

GOD DAMNIT AMERICA! SORT IT OUT!

Actually NASA's budget has risen over the years, they just aren't really 'tasked' with doing anything like they were during the space race and NASA has fallen into little 'kingdoms' that don't play with each other. The Department needs to be redesigned.

Now, on to auditing the Pentagon. First, you are going to have problems finding auditors with top secret clearance. Second, you are going to have massive problems finding enough (because each auditor isn't going to be allowed to know every, or even a majority, of what goes on) to do a real audit.

Third, at least in the business world, audits are a joke anyway. Just jump through hoops to look good.

[Masark]

Actually NASA's budget has risen over the years

Over what years?

In constant dollars, NASA's budget was somewhat high during Obama's first term, but then it has dropped back down.

As a percentage of the federal budget, it's been pretty consistently shrinking for the past 20 years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_b...t.2C_1958-2012

Or for an illustration, this was during that "somewhat high" time.



If we cranked NASA's budget back up to Apollo levels in terms of their percentage of the federal budget, their budget would be about $150 billion

[Spectral]

A lack of accountability at the DoD? Say it ain't so.

- - - Updated - - -

Third, at least in the business world, audits are a joke anyway. Just jump through hoops to look good.

I suspect the same would be true here. It's pretty hard to prove something is wasteful, especially when everything can be couched in vague handwaving about "defense", "security", "national interests", and other buzzwords that result in something being unimpugnable.

[KonkeroaR]

Hmm, sounds pretty close to our countries total debt. So THAT is where our money has gone..

Was there ever any question that the debt had been racked up due to military spending?