Here, in 50 lines, are some numbers. All are percent of GDP. Gross Welfare is all Federal Welfare outlays including Social Security. Net Welfare is Gross less the OAB tax receipts -- the part that is paid for out of income tax and borrowing. Note the decline in Defense, the compensating rise in Net Welfare and the relative constancy of their sum. The source is Stat Abstract after 1970, Historical Statistics before. My spreadsheet's calculations. YEAR GROSS OAB NET DEFENSE DEFENSE + SPACE WELFARE TAX WELFARE + SPACE + GROSS WELFARE LESS OAB TAX 1945 1946 3.0 1.5 1.6 21.5 23.0 1947 4.2 1.4 2.8 5.7 8.5 1948 3.7 1.5 2.1 5.1 7.2 1949 4.0 1.5 2.5 5.1 7.6 1950 3.7 1.5 2.2 4.6 6.8 1951 3.4 1.7 1.6 6.9 8.5 1952 3.4 1.9 1.5 12.8 14.3 1953 3.4 1.9 1.5 13.8 15.3 1954 3.6 2.0 1.6 12.8 14.4 1955 3.7 2.0 1.7 10.1 11.8 1956 3.9 2.2 1.6 9.6 11.3 1957 4.1 2.3 1.8 9.7 11.6 1958 4.6 2.5 2.1 9.9 12.0 1959 4.6 2.3 2.3 9.7 12.0 1960 4.7 2.8 1.9 9.2 11.2 1961 5.0 3.0 2.0 9.2 11.3 1962 5.2 2.9 2.3 9.2 11.5 1963 5.3 3.2 2.1 9.1 11.1 1964 5.3 3.3 1.9 7.7 9.9 1966 5.8 3.2 2.5 8.1 10.7 1967 6.4 3.9 2.5 9.2 11.7 1968 6.6 3.7 2.9 9.5 12.4 1969 7.0 4.0 3.0 8.8 11.8 1970 7.5 4.3 3.2 8.2 11.4 1971 8.2 4.2 4.0 7.3 11.3 1972 8.6 4.3 4.3 6.6 11.0 1973 8.9 4.6 4.3 5.8 10.1 1974 9.2 5.0 4.1 5.5 9.6 1975 10.3 5.2 5.1 5.5 10.6 1976 10.9 5.0 5.9 5.1 11.0 1977 10.8 5.3 5.5 5.0 10.5 1978 10.5 5.3 5.2 4.8 10.0 1979 10.3 5.4 4.9 4.7 9.6 1980 10.9 5.7 5.2 5.0 10.2 1981 11.0 5.9 5.2 5.0 10.2 1982 11.3 6.2 5.1 5.9 11.0 1983 11.3 5.9 5.4 6.2 11.6 1984 10.7 6.1 4.6 6.0 10.6 1985 10.7 6.3 4.4 6.2 10.6 1986 10.7 6.4 4.2 6.3 10.6 1987 10.6 6.5 4.1 6.2 10.3 1988 10.4 6.6 3.7 5.9 9.7 1989 10.7 6.6 4.1 5.4 9.5 1991 11.4 6.7 4.7 4.8 9.6 1992 12.0 6.6 5.4 5.0 10.4 Regards; Ed Edward C. Wood ewood@ix.netcom.com