An irreverent guide that deciphers the jargon of the country's budget problem by breaking down into plain English exactly what the fat cats in Washington are arguing about.

1. Where Does the
Money Go?
Rev Ed: Your Guided Tour
to The Federal Budget
Crisis
by Scott Bittle
& Jean Johnson

2. Our elected leaders on both sides of the fence have
failed to effectively address the exploding federal debt.
It’s time to cut the filibuster
and get a move on!
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

3. Why?

4. In about 10 years, the federal debt will be
as big as our entire economy.
100 percent of GDP!!
We’ll be spending more on interest
payments than on defense.
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

5. Completely eliminating
the Departments of:
Education Transportation
Energy Health and Human Services
Agriculture Housing Urban Development
would save less than 25 percent of the
1.5 trillion dollar deficit.
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

6. In as little as 10 years, government auditors say
spending on Social Security, Medicare and
Medicaid, plus interest on the debt could suck up
more than 90 cents out of every tax dollar.
There would be almost no money for anything else.
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

7. Income tax rates are lower now than they have
been for most of the last four decades.
In the 1970s, top tax rates were twice as high.
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

8. Solutions

9. No Pointing Fingers
The federal budget has been in the red for
31 out of the last 35 years, and both
President Bush and President Obama added
trillions of dollars to the debt.
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

10. Everything Has To Be On the Table
•Higher Taxes
•Cutting Defense
•Controlling Medicare/
Medicaid Costs
•Reforming Social Security
•Domestic Programs
Spending Cuts
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

11. The Big Choice
Cut Spending Tackle the Budget
vs vs
Raise Taxes Focus on the Economy
A false choice. We can do
Nearly all reasonable plans more for the economy now
include some of both. and make changes to cut
future deficits.
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

12. Responsibility

13. Be Ready to Compromise
To solve this problem, we’ll all have to live
with something we don’t like.
Refusing to compromise means more delay,
and that’s the one thing we can’t afford.
Where Does the Money Go? by Scott Bittle & Jean Johnson

14. If We Act Quickly and Responsibly
We Can Do This!

15. Where Does the Money Go?
An irreverent guide that deciphers the
jargon of the country’s budget problem
by breaking down into plain English
exactly what the fat cats in Washington
are arguing about.

16. Watch the PBS feature
Join the community
See the slideshow
Purchase the book
Published by

17. Where Does The Money Go?
Rev Ed: Your Guided Tour To The Federal
Budget Crisis
Scott Bittle is the Director of Public Issues Analysis at
Public Agenda, executive editor of PublicAgenda.org,
and lead author of research reports including The
Buck Stops Where? What D.C. Influencers Say About
The National Debt, the Energy Learning Curve, A
Place To Call Home: What Immigrants Say Now
About Life In America, and Promising Practices In
Online Engagement.
Jean Johnson, Director of Education Insights and
Director of Programs at Public Agenda, is a co-
founder of PublicAgenda.org, and the author or co-
author of studieson education reform, college
completion and other issues in higher education,
families, religion, race relations, manners and civility,
retirement, welfare, and health care.
Bittle and Johnson often speak and write about public
policy issues, have been interviewed on numerous
television and radio programs, and have blogged
For more information visit together on The Huffington Post on both the deficit
www.wheredoesthemoneygo.com and issues relating to energy and climate change, the
topic of their second book, Who Turned Out The
Lights: Your Guided Tour To The Energy Crisis

18. This presentation was created by:
www.FSBAssociates.com
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