US Government Spending As Percent Of GDP - dropped from 1993 until 2001, then started going up, up,

Year GDP-US Total Spending-total

1976 1824.6 34.00 i
1977 2030.1 32.91 i
1978 2293.8 32.02 i
1979 2562.2 31.58 i
1980 2788.1 33.72 i
1981 3126.8 33.64 i
1982 3253.2 36.25 i
1983 3534.6 36.31 i
1984 3930.9 34.44 i
1985 4217.5 35.48 i
1986 4460.1 35.71 i
1987 4736.4 35.09 i
1988 5100.4 34.73 i
1989 5482.1 34.94 i
1990 5800.5 36.01 i
1991 5992.1 37.22 i
1992 6342.3 37.04 a
1993 6667.4 36.31 a
1994 7085.2 35.38 a
1995 7414.7 35.54 a
1996 7838.5 34.69 a
1997 8332.4 33.77 a
1998 8793.5 33.24 a
1999 9353.5 32.65 a
2000 9951.5 32.56 a
2001 10286.2 33.38 a
2002 10642.3 34.75 a
2003 11142.1 35.28 a
2004 11867.8 34.78 a
2005 12638.4 34.79 a
2006 13398.9 35.06 a
2007 14077.6 34.98 a
2008 14441.4 37.12 g
2009 14258.2 42.72 g
2010 14623.9 44.48 g

Legend:
i - interpolated between actual reported values
a - actual reported
g - 'guesstimated' projection by usgovernmentspending.com
b - budgeted estimate in US fy11 budget

http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_20th_century_chart.html

Don't you know the Repukes are the party of small government?? They keep saying so!

Let's see, that was before the war, right? Oh wait, if you look at the chart, you see two strong spikes around WWI and WWII. We do not see that for this one, though. Not too bad for managing a global war with two major fronts.

Of course, the steady increase over time is troubling. It looks like we were spending less than 10% of GDP at the turn of... See More the last century, then started a steady rise about 45% today.

So, what prevailing thought has invaded our federal government in the last 100 years that would allow that? Could it be, oh, I dunno, beginning with Wilson and the progressive movement? Seems to line up well.

Progressives are found in both parties and are all about spenmding, big government, regulation, control, etc. They are the bane of freedom today.

--------------------

I replied already, but other replies are welcome :)