Back of the Napkin: Where Does All the Money Go?

by | Dec 17, 2021 | Big Government, Musings, Taxes | 203 comments

As a follow-up to the last BotN article on government spending over time, I decided to take a look at US federal government spending right now in a bit more depth, to see where all the money is going.  This information is readily available (source), but I thought it would be interesting to re-contextualize it by calculating the category expenditures on a per capita and per tax unit basis (a tax unit is one or more individuals filing a tax return).  To get the per capita basis, I took the fiscal year 2021 federal government spending and divided by the estimate of the US population on Sep 30, 2021 (332,797,562 people – source), since that was the last day of fiscal year 2021.  For the per tax unit basis I decided to do two calculations.  For the first tax unit column I adjusted the spending by multiplying it by 86%, the portion of government revenue that comes from individual taxes (source), and then divided it by total tax units (178,140,000 units – source).  The result shows the theoretical tax burden per tax unit if taxation covered the entirety of federal spending and was equally distributed.  For the second tax unit column I adjusted the spending by multiplying it by 65%, the approximate portion of government revenue that comes from tax units that pay income tax (50% income tax revenue + 36% payroll tax revenue * 43% tax units that pay income tax), and then divided it by the number of tax units projected to pay income tax (76,490,000 units – source).  The result shows the theoretical tax burden per income tax paying tax unit if taxation covered the entirety of federal spending and was equally distributed.  With the background out of the way, I present the breakdown of where the US federal government is spending money, first by category and then again by agency.  The totals do not match exactly due to rounding and possibly due to accounting discrepancies (note that the official total spending for 2021 per my source – a federal government agency – is $6,818 Billion).

US Federal Government Spending by Category, 2021

 

US Federal Government Spending by Agency, 2021

 

The first thing that stands out is how much was spent on “Income Security”, which I assume primarily represents the payouts justified by COVID (along with regular welfare and unemployment benefits).  I also assume that this is the main contributor to why the Treasury Department pulled out the surprise number one spot for highest-spending agency.  I hope that this line item will be phased down quickly as things return to normal following the pandemic, but even so this profligacy only accounts for 59% of the $2.77 Trillion deficit for this year, so the metaphorical belt will need further tightening to put the government’s fiscal house in order (I’m not holding my breath).  That interest line item will only grow if current trends continue, and I presume (especially in this fine company) that I’m not alone in being unhappy that my government is spending over $1,000 per person (and over $1,700 per tax unit) for the pleasure of having been irresponsible in the past.  I could think of many better uses for that money (not all of which, admittedly, would be responsible either).

The Social Security and Medicare line items tell us how much the government is spending per person, but as each of those categories only benefits a select group of people (primarily the elderly, although some social security benefits go to other cases) I decided to do some quick additional calculations.  Given that there are an estimated 54.1 million Americans age 65+ (source), the government spends approximately $22,098 on Social Security and $12,874 on Medicare per senior.  Not quite as much as I would have guessed, honestly, but then again it’s not distributed uniformly.  Collectively these old-age programs account for approximately 27% of all government spending in 2021, which gives us a pretty good idea where the government’s (and by proxy the voters’) priorities lie.

Another huge line-item is Healthcare, which primarily consist of Medicaid but also includes other assistance programs.  Since there were 82,761,078 Americans enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP in 2021 (source), we can approximate that $9,628 was spent per person who received government healthcare under this line item.

Defense takes up 11% of the budget and Veterans benefits another 3% of the budget, so approximately 14% of government expenditure goes to maintaining the nation’s military.  Given that the Department of Defense employs 2.91 million people (source) the country spends approximately $259,381 per person to pay, equip, and support them.  With approximately 18 million veterans in the country (source), the government therefor spends approximately $13,000 per veteran to support them.

If the department of education had been eliminated like the Republicans once promised, we would be saving $782.46 per person.  As it stands, with approximately 77 million students in the US (source), the federal government is spending approximately $3,380 per student.  That would make for a nice scholarship if we moved to a voucher system and cut out the middle-man.  Given that states and localities cover the bulk of the cost of running public schools in this country, this per student expenditure by the federal government is sizeable.

The Office of Personnel Management surprised me at its size, and considering the US Federal government has 2,181,106 civilian employees (source), that means the government spends $49,791 per employee to manage them.  Seems a bit steep if you ask me.

The offsetting revenue, for those who wonder, comes primarily from employer contributions to employee retirement.  That this is accounted as income rather than expenditure strikes me as suspicious, but I am not an accountant so perhaps this is entirely above board (if we have any accountants among the readers, please let me know).

A final note, the spending per tax unit columns indicate to me both the magnitude of the government’s deficit spending and the magnitude of the progressivism in the tax code.  As someone who earns an above average income, I (thankfully) pay nowhere near the $58K that the government spends per income tax paying tax unit, which means that the large difference is coming from somewhere else.  Hats off to you rich folks who are picking up the tab, and pity to all of us who will (and are – inflation is at a 30 year high already) pay the consequences for the irresponsibility in the system.

Let me know if you see anything else interesting/surprising/disappointing/alarming in these statistics.  And since we have many non-American members of our commentariat, let me know if there’s any interest in taking a look at how other countries spend their money.  If there’s interest, I’ll probably look into whichever country gets the most votes in the comments.

About The Author

Gadfly

Gadfly

203 Comments

  1. juris imprudent

    Pretty sure the Big Guy did not get 10%.

  2. juris imprudent

    The Office of Personnel Management…

    We have people skills dammit!

    • Rat on a train

      The Chinese need some central location to get personnel records.

      • hayeksplosives

        They do have to pay for all the background investigations for qualifying people for clearance. Last I heard, clearance checks are around $10,000 and top secret is higher.

        Still seems steep.

  3. ron73440

    Thanks for this, but it makes the Is the Universe Getting Bigerer? series seem simple and solvable.

    • Sean

      ^ This.

      I’m not sure if the intent was to make me mad or sad, or both.

    • juris imprudent

      The universe will expand, and so will govt spending – see? It isn’t that hard.

      • PutridMeat

        And we have definitive proof that one of them is accelerating!

      • ron73440

        They are both impressive for vastly different reasons.

        The Universe expanding doesn’t simultaneously piss me off and depress me.

  4. juris imprudent

    What? [tap-tap-tap] Is this thing on?

    • Mojeaux

      Dude, let us have a minute to digest the math!

      • PieInTheSky

        I was not told there would be math

      • TARDis

        Of course there has to be math. How can we have racism if there is no math?

      • Rat on a train

        As long as we don’t have maths.

      • juris imprudent

        If you can digest that math you have a much tougher stomach than I do.

      • Mojeaux

        I’m not sure why I can’t get away with that math in my personal life when the gummint can.

        Of course, one killing is a murder, 10 is a spree, but 1,000 is a war.

      • Rat on a train

        Kill millions and be praised, or at least get your image on shirts and the like.

    • rhywun

      Can’t despair, eating.

      • PieInTheSky

        I ak peckish myself

  5. The Other Kevin

    I find this series very interesting. It’s a huge benefit to have the numbers to counter “the feelz”, even if it’s only in my own head. Thanks for putting the time into this.

    • PieInTheSky

      When did numbers ever counter the feelz?

    • Gadfly

      Thanks. Glad you like it.

  6. PieInTheSky

    I am sorry to tell you elon musk cannot pay nearly enough tax for all that

  7. PieInTheSky

    Romanian government spends 70% of revenu on pensions welfare and gov salaries so it is not that important where thr other 30% goes

  8. Urthona

    I was told there would be no math.

  9. PieInTheSky

    So given all this i say the US needs another major war to get finances back on track

    • Nephilium

      /looks at the dystopian (mainly cyberpunk) which predicted multiple competing private currencies

  10. rhywun

    This is more terrifying than Subaru Horror Theatre.

  11. Tundra

    We’re fucked.

    • TARDis

      Well maybe not us (I hope) , but definitely our kids are.

      • Tundra

        Healthcare is gonna bankrupt us in our lifetimes.

      • TARDis

        It’ll be okay. When our social credit score drops far enough, we’ll all be denied healthcare with zero cost to the Cabal.

      • PieInTheSky

        Not if you invest in whatever goes up when that happens

      • Bobarian LMD

        The black things are gonna start going up.

        The ones on the scary rifles.

      • TARDis

        … much like my grammar….

    • Gadfly

      That is the TL:DR, yes.

  12. PutridMeat

    I’m kind of a math guy, but that first paragraph was one of those reading exercises where the eraser is following about 3 words behind the reading… That said!

    I did go back to more carefully figure out which column actually means in the tables, but even just sort of scanning the tables in an overview mode is pretty interesting (in a deep intestinal ache that extends from the entrance of the small intestine down to the taint sort of way).

    1) There’s no way, short of collapse there’s much chance of fixing the Fed – NO ONE is touching the money pits or departments. Too many entrenched interests both on the receiving side and the disbursement chain.
    2) There’s just a metric f*$k-Tonne of duplication waste between departments. You could save quite a bit by consolidating to reduce overhead. Assuming your goal was efficiency and waster reduction, not a jobs and graft program.

    • PutridMeat

      “NO ONE is touching the money pits or departments.” – insert “top 4 or 5” between the and money…

    • juris imprudent

      …not a jobs and graft program.

      Hey, look I found the problem. right there ^^^

    • Gadfly

      In retrospect I should’ve represented the equations visually rather than trying to write it out. They were simple equations, but the explanation was…not.

      1) Sadly, I think you are right. This ship is going to crash and burn, most likely.
      2) No doubt.

  13. J. Frank Parnell

    I hope that this line item will be phased down quickly as things return to normal following the pandemic

    I hope Elizabeth Hurley stops by to give me a billion dollars and my wife agrees to a three-way while she’s here.

    • PieInTheSky

      Will the wife be involved in the three way?

      • Bobarian LMD

        She will, but JFP probably won’t.

        That’s how the theme of this topic works out.

  14. pistoffnick

    $33,114 per tax cattle unit

    I don’t feel like I am getting my moneys worth. Is there a competing purveyor of goods and services I could offer my money to?

    • The Other Kevin

      If you give the money to me, I will promise to leave you alone. That’s a much better deal than you’re getting now.

      • ron73440

        That’s an amazing deal compared to what we get now.

      • PieInTheSky

        The mob takes less and actually protects shit

    • PieInTheSky

      If you dont like it you can just leave

    • TARDis

      I use Quicken to track spending. I have a category I just call Government. I might just change it to Theft.

      Checks total.
      *faints*

  15. DEG

    Let me know if you see anything else interesting/surprising/disappointing/alarming in these statistics.

    Sorry, I just skimmed the article.

    This line jumped out as I skimmed:

    If the department of education had been eliminated like the Republicans once promised, we would be saving $782.46 per person.

    I said to myself as I read it, “That’s a good start”.

    • Rat on a train

      Cutting this line item won’t eliminate the deficit so find something else? – supporters of every program

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      You can blame the shithead elder statesman George Bush Sr for that.

    • hayeksplosives

      Why do you hate the children?

  16. Dr. Fronkensteen

    I wonder what the payroll costs are for those Fed employees.

  17. Rebel Scum

    Where Does All the Money Go?

    Aaand it’s gone.

    • TARDis

      “Poof”

  18. PieInTheSky

    Why is gadfly not in the comments? You should always comment on your posts to increase the comment count

    • Gadfly

      Because I sadly had to work today, and it’s only just now my lunch break. But you are right, that’s a good policy.

      • DEG

        It is. It worked for me.

    • Tundra

      That’s a shitty map.

      • ron73440

        That’s a shitty map

        I think it has a fudge factor built in.

      • Tres Cool

        Prolly want to avoid the Hershey Hwy.

      • MikeS

        The Tenderloin District looks like a big dump.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        The bums appear to be undeterred.

      • juris imprudent

        Or someone is a crap navigator.

    • Gadfly

      That’s not so bad.

      *zooms in*

      Oh…yikes!

      Although I do wonder if/how frequently they remove items from the database. Because that seems like a – ahem – shit-ton of waste to all be real-time.

      • R.J.

        I sense a process improvement. Could use satellites to identify poop from space and remark the map. A much better use of spy satellites.

    • Animal

      Holy crap.

    • juris imprudent

      Was that map devised for German tourists with a certain kink?

    • Fourscore

      Shoulda just papered over the whole city

    • whiz

      That’s good, I figured it was a poop map before even looking.

      Another possibility was a map indicating the good places for smash-and-grab.

  19. Tres Cool

    I just got a letter from our local Health Dept. telling me they’ve received my positive CoVid test results, taken a week ago at a Federal (VA) facility.
    They dont wast time sharing data. Just one more list Im on, I suppose.

    • Nephilium

      The girlfriend got her letter about three days later, and that was over Thanksgiving. Of course, that was at a Cleveland Clinic location.

      • Tres Cool

        I got my results the same day, but I wasnt sure how quickly they were to share VA data with my county health dept.

    • Raven Nation

      I’ve been getting daily phone calls from our county covid “task force” since I tested positive. Wonder how long before they send the inspectors around?

      • rhywun

        Maybe you’ll get that trip to Northern Territory you’ve been longing for.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        I tested at home and didn’t report to anyone (well, I guess my employer knows).

      • Raven Nation

        My state requires test results to be reported to the health department. From what I can tell, it’s all about contact tracing. I’m a little flummoxed that contact tracing is still a thing. Um, yeah, I had symptoms Saturday night. From Thursday through Friday I was in two different grocery stores, a pharmacy, and a gym. I mean, seriously, how do you contact trace that.

        I did get my hair cut Friday and was in a (socially-distanced) meeting on Thursday. I told all those people because I’m not an asshole (although I have been identified as a dick by someone on this site).

      • Loveconstitution1789

        Do you tell people that you might have given the flu or cold?

        Fuck that. Going outside and interacting with others is a risk. COvID is less deadly than influenza.

        I dont wear a mask. I dont get the jab. I dont treat sars-covid as some deadly virus.

    • Rebel Scum

      I got sent home today because a coworker “tested positive” and I had been within the magic 6′ zone for the arbitrary time limit. Long story short, I do not have to work again until after Christmas. And luckily today is bonus day.

      *cracks beer*

      • MikeS

        *whiney voice* Uuuggghh…No fair! I want to be close contact!

      • Fourscore

        That’s a problem when you work for yourself and you’re the boss, MikeS

      • R.J.

        Fantastic win.

    • PutridMeat

      Another reason I didn’t go anywhere to get an ‘official’ test. I don’t trust health bureaucrat ass-hats with any info.

  20. ron73440

    My company asked for my vaccine proof. They know I got it because they said if I didn’t get it I would have to stop inspecting ships and become an instructor instead. I really like my current job, and am not suited to 5 days a week in the office every week.

    They said because we’re federal contractors we have to comply with Brandon’s EO.

    I asked do you mean the one that got stopped in court? I said I’m not comfortable sending my info, especially when there is no legal basis.

    She is going on vacation and said we’ll talk more when she gets back on Jan 2nd.

    At least they didn’t threaten to fire me, so my wife can relax for a little bit.

    • Tres Cool

      Is ‘ship inspector’ some euphemism for the man-in-the-boat ?

      • ron73440

        Is ‘ship inspector’ some euphemism for the man-in-the-boat ?

        No euphemism, that’s what I get paid for.

      • juris imprudent
    • Sensei

      My expectation is that many in HR (naturally not all) are not any happier about that this than the employees.

      In your case she gets to tick the box that she contacted the employee. She is more than happy to delay the next step as well.

      The rank and file HR people have no desire to go through the fire drill that will result from hiring new people to fill the roles vacated by the people they were forced to fire.

      • ron73440

        I don’t know, my company was “very proud” to donate money to BLM.

        I don’t really work for them, they bid for the contract I work on, it’s me and one other guy down here and we never deal with the company in any work related things.

      • Sensei

        Well, in the case of BLM, the work consisted of writing a check.

        In the case of replacing you it means that somebody in HR has to do actual work. And HR departments are barely equipped for a “natural” level of attrition, let alone a sudden large increase in demand for employees.

        Mind you it is HR – so I’m sure most there are all onboard in theory. But I’m betting most in practice know that it will make their worklife miserable.

      • ron73440

        Well, in the case of BLM, the work consisted of writing a check.

        It was the owner of the company with the “very proud” quote.

        Between that and the childish training we go through, I am very glad I don’t deal with them very often.

    • Nephilium

      My work sent out a notice earlier this week that they were pausing the mandate (since it’s been stopped at the courts) while all the legal questions get answered. So I’ve at least got a reprieve while they look over the latest update on my accommodation request.

    • Animal

      The main consulting agency that I contract through asked me if I would be willing to volunteer my vax status. Since I had the thing, and since they asked politely and didn’t demand it, I replied to the email that yes, I had it. I didn’t offer any proof. They didn’t ask for any.

      If a company really has to pry into that, this is how it should be done.

      • rhywun

        “I’m not sick, and I’m not afraid of catching it from you.”

        “OK”.

        That’s how mask theater should proceed, if we have to have it.

      • ron73440

        Tried that with the ultrasound nurse. First time she pretended my nose was covered.

        Didn’t get a second one because she was insistent no matter how many negative tests I had.

        I fucking hate people.

        My wife’s theory is she felt sorry for me the first time because I was in pain, and regretted it for the 3 days before she saw me again.

      • ron73440

        I agree, they know I have it, I show it to get on a ship if I have to, most don’t ask or take your word.

        I will not show it for anything else and see no reason I should send a copy of my card to them.

      • R.J.

        I had to turn over an image of my completed card to work, I did not like having to do that. I work at home, and there was n need to threaten me to report my status. I absolutely will not do that again.

      • Loveconstitution1789

        Youre just setting yourself up. There is strength in numbers, so these companies not knowing is actually jabbed helps those that wont get the jab. It will also help break these companies when the booster requirement gets passed down.

        The reason many of these companies are pausing their mandates is because 5%+ of their workforce told them to fuck off.

        Its your life, but I dont compromise with Lefties anymore. I will wave to you in the cattle car from my redoubt.

    • DEG

      Good luck!

    • hayeksplosives

      Nice. I approve this message.

      Too bad most of the people who see it won’t understand it.

      • ron73440

        But they said we’d be out of this if only we all listened.

        Why do you not trust them?

      • hayeksplosives

        The public school brainwashing didn’t take.

  21. Certified Public Asshat

    Saints Coach Sean Payton tests positive for COVID-19

    Payton was fully vaccinated and immediately isolated.

    This is the second time since the onset of the pandemic that Payton has tested positive.

    Another success story.

    • Sean

      Has there been any triple cases yet?

      • rhywun

        And were any of the “real” positives?

      • Certified Public Asshat

        Payton was sick the first go ’round, I’m not sure how he is this time.

    • Jerms

      Listening to Peter McCoullough the other day and he swears you cant get real covid twice. He was talking about people with natural immunity though.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Compared to the vaccinated I agree, but it’s not an impossibility.

        And with each mutation it pushes towards escaping natural immunity. It’s just a matter of time.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        That was the part of the interview where I thought maybe he is a little wacky. I agree with his take that we have no early treatment protocol and that with 300 med schools in the US we should have several different treatment options to choose from at this point.

        But impossible to get it twice? That doesn’t make sense.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        It’s an unfortunate claim that detracts from the overall argument.

      • Jerms

        Did you guys hear Pierre Koury on the Darkhorse podcast talking about ivermectin? He was very convincing.

      • Certified Public Asshat

        I’m on day 9 of Covid and as soon as symptoms started I popped my ivermectin. I’m not convinced it did anything, although I am not dead.

      • Ozymandias

        Liar. You are, too.
        “You’ll be stone dead in a minute.”

  22. UnCivilServant

    Just got back from running errands, will have to run more errands. Preliminary report – I’ve been to a fingerprinting site, a restuarant and a hardware store. Only sign of Kathy’s diktat is a notice at the fingerprinting site. Enforcement is nonexistant. People didn’t even mention my unmasked state, and there were no “papers, please” incidents. And this being Albany, tells me even the nominal supporters are over this.

      • Ownbestenemy

        What is amazing is if anyone would have looked beyond their preferred propaganda dissemination sites, they would have known we are the only stupid nation doing it.

      • Sensei

        To be fair, talking to my friends in Japan, the social pressure to mask there probably results in masking rates that far exceed the US in areas were masks are required.

        The government has only advised and requested it, but good luck avoiding it.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      I’ve been to a fingerprinting site, a restuarant and a hardware store.

      Costco?

      • Tres Cool

        We have a place here that does those things, including hair/nails, electronics repair, and cell phone sales.
        Prolly babysitting, too.

    • Mojeaux

      The only place I’ve had to mask up, with someone asking me to, even, was the high school.

      • Jerms

        Lady who works in supermarket asked me today after I first walked in if I had a mask. I said no and kept walking. Im done with the masks. Had to find a new gym thats 10 miles further from my house too.

      • Rebel Scum

        Same. The only time I participated in the farce so I could attend my sister’s graduation.

      • TARDis

        I attended my daughter’s graduation this Wed. I was happy to see none of the graduates had on masks. Some of the faculty and staff did, and only about 20% in the stands had them on. I loved the idiocy of the masked ones pulling them down to scream when their grad’s name was called.

      • The Last American Hero

        Sorry, but this depresses me beyond belief. We have been masked since March 2020 and the rules are tighter than ever. I am in an extreme minority in not regarding masks as bulletproof and outdoors people are 50% masks.

      • Loveconstitution1789

        Georgia. No state mask requirements. No lockdowns. Most restaurants have normal dining and service.
        Even the national chain stores and restaurants caved and dont “recommend” masks anymore.

    • UnCivilServant

      I’ve run my remaining errands. Drug store and grocery store both had signs. Grocery store even had a box of free masks.

      Zero enforcement. The grocery store was even downrright crowded, and no one cared. Not even to the ‘dirty look’ stage.

      • Nephilium

        Local news has had several stories lamenting that our governor can no longer issue state wide mandates “while we’re in the grip of the newest wave”. But our governor has announced he and his family are quarantining themselves after a close contact with a positive plaguebearer… of course his whole family tested positive last summer.

      • ron73440

        Last time I went shopping an old guy kept giving me dirty looks.

        My wife asked me if it was because I wasn’t wearing a mask, my Stalin dark humor sweatshirt, or because I was open carrying my 1911.

        Told her “don’t know, don’t care”.

      • TARDis

        Trifecta!

      • The Last American Hero

        Unfuckingbelievable that such paradises exist.

    • J. Frank Parnell

      Yeah, same experience here following Lord Gavin’s declaration that took effect on Wednesday. Maybe a slight uptick in mask wearing, but even the places that posted “masks required” signs weren’t enforcing it, and even the employees weren’t 100% masked.

      • The Last American Hero

        How do you get away with it? Newsome must be mre generous than Inslee.

    • Ted S.

      I’ve been to a fingerprinting site

      What did you get arrested for?

      • UnCivilServant

        Being a state employee.

  23. DEG

    OT: Fundraiser for JR Hoel, one of the Reopen NH founders

    It all started in mid November, when several members of the family came down with COVID-19, and JR treated his family succesfully with Ivermectin. In fact, everyone who came down wtih the virus was feeling better just a few days later, and they were all well before Thanksgiving. In early December, JR called Poison Control because he was concerned his son might have overdosed on over-the-counter headache medicine and the operator advised him to take his son to the Emergency Room, and he did so promptly. The hospital found no evidence for Acetaminophen in his son’s bloodstream and sent the family home.

    Doing his due diligence, JR followed up with his family doctor’s office. During that visit, he advised the doctor that the family had recently recovered from COVID and had treated successfully with Ivermectin. Importantly, Ivermectin has an 18-hour half life, and so by that point only 6 percent or less of the drug was left in any one of the family member’s bloodstreams. Nevertheless, the nurse practitioner who was with JR immediately blamed the Ivermectin for the son’s Acetominophen story and called the Division of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and coordinated with police to have all of JR’s minor children removed from his home. Thankfully, JR saw this coming and was able to get his children to safety before the state and police officials arrived.

    The fundraiser is for his legal fees in the fight with DCYF. I watched the TikTok videos in the links. The details given about the person DCYF is trying to kids away from lines with up JR.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      Does he have a separate fundraiser for hiring a hitman?

      Because I’d be willing to donate to that one too.

      • DEG

        I’m not going to touch that.

        I’ve met both Andrew and JR. Of the two, I’ve interacted with Andrew more and Andrew would probably remember me. They’re good people.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        I have a particular hatred of those who use the state against families in order to further their own politics. And the anonymous nature of the accusations just makes it worse.

      • DEG

        Same here.

        On the note of politics, JR is also involved in the NH Firearms Coalition.

      • ron73440

        #metoo

        White hot rage at that kind of shit.

    • R C Dean

      Nevertheless, the nurse practitioner who was with JR

      What’s her name? People need to start publishing the names of raging assholes like this.

      The hospital

      Which hospital? People need to know which hospital employs people who will try to get your kids taken by the State.

      Take the fucking gloves off already. Names, pictures (I draw the line at full-on doxxing, for now) should be part of any account of people and organizations being raging assholes.

      • DEG

        I think the hospital name was in one of the linked videos.

        /watching videos

        Whisper video, at the end, the woman says she is at CMC.

        At the beginning she mentions Elliot was involved as well. It sounds like the DCYF folks alerted all the hospitals in the area.

        In one of the linked follow on videos, she says Hoel’s PCP told Hoel to take his kids to Elliot. She says Hoel never brought the kid to Elliot. She says, Elliot and the PCP then called DCYF. Later in the follow-in, she says DCYF was at CMC because they thought Hoel might have gone to CMC instead. I’m guessing she is reporting on what she overheard.

        I don’t think she mentions any names.

      • R C Dean

        Whatever you say in a video isn’t going to get picked up by search engines or other searches.

        Another reason why video is inferior to text.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        For now

    • Not Adahn

      Purging racists from the military is a good first step in preventing another coup.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      So tediously stupid

  24. juris imprudent

    Taibbi on fire wrt Loudoun County Public Schools and the consultants they hired for DEI…

    The documents collectively read like a Swiftian satire about an island culture whose citizens speak entirely in gibberish terms like “intentionality,” “feedback loop structures,” and “onboarding action steps,” but are dying out because they’ve forgotten all the words they once used to find mates (“primary stakeholders”). It’s unfortunately all too real to be genuinely funny, but these reports are a literary spectacle nonetheless.

    • R.J.

      I think it was part of Hitchhiker’s guide, where the humans left alive on planet earth were middle managers who only spoke in business speak, and were only able to form committees. They got nothing done and went extinct.

  25. Sensei

    I have found an immaculate Porsche restored 911 Turbo S that I wouldn’t purchase at even 1/10 its price. Well to be fair, I suppose I could repaint it and source a new interior and come out OK.

    Eye-Searing Porsche Has Strange History, Huge Price Tag

      • UnCivilServant

        Looks like the discount ‘rainbow sorbet’ buckets.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        *sudden wave of nausea*

      • R.J.

        Oy. You made me look. “Orange Sherbert.”

      • juris imprudent

        Is that Dr. Ferdinand I hear whirring away?

      • JaimeRoberto (shama/lama/ding dong)

        That reminds me of a 70s McDonalds.

    • Mojeaux

      ?

    • ron73440

      That’s another level of ugly.

      Guy was so rich, the only way to show it off was to custom order a “unique” one.

      • Not Adahn

        That was also from Hitchhiker’s Guide: “I am so rich, I don’t even have to take this seriously.”

    • Rebel Scum

      That interior gave me glaucoma.

      • Sean

        The wood was gorgeous.

    • kinnath

      Desert colors. Nothing shocking there.

    • R C Dean

      Its in great shape. The resto work looks top-notch.

      Which actually makes it even uglier. Which is in its own way impressive.

      • Sensei

        From the article Porsche’s restoration shop did the restoration.

  26. Ownbestenemy

    db – sent you another message. We need to set up a timeframe for talking with a special guest off the record so to speak.

    • db

      Responded to your msg.

  27. Ghostpatzer

    NYC needs to spend more money training their Covid hall monitors inspectors

    Don’t let the door hit you on the way out

    “As she’s looking through the paperwork, I just looked at her and I said, ‘You know, you’re not above the law,’” recalled Koronilian, clarifying that she had meant to say mandate.

    “She asked, ‘What law?’ and I pointed to the vaccination signs hung on the front of the bar and said, ‘This bulls–t,’” Koronilian said.

    LOL

    • Sensei

      That’s awesome! Mind you there are no heroes here as the bar staff are vaccine authoritarians too.

      • rhywun

        I don’t fault them. They are in a precarious position. The fact that Bill is sending goons around to make sure you are obeying proves it.

      • Sensei

        I think I’m going to have agree with you.

        If your business is covered by this requirement, you are required to check the vaccination status of all staff and customers 5 and older

        . You may not permit entry to anyone 5 and older who has not received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, unless an exception in the Executive Order for Key to NYC or the below Frequently Asked Questions document applies.

        I don’t see “inspections” in any of the exceptions.

        https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines-keytonyc.page

      • Ghostpatzer

        No heroes, but I can understand the proprietor not wanting to go out of business. I was walking around my old stomping grounds in New Brunswick earlier this week. My three favorite watering holes are all shuttered – closed in 2020, never reopened. One has a sign reading “For Sale: Bar and Liquor iicense”. The nostalgia wasn’t what I expected.

      • Ghostpatzer

        Old Queens, Corner Tavern, and Golden Rail. RIP.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      That ID…

      NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

      That’s not Orwellian at all.

      • Raven Nation

        My campus created an office of Health Security. One of the things they accomplished was to create 9 x 14 glossy posters with 6 panels explaining how to wash your hands,

    • R C Dean

      The rep did not, however, explain why Opara refused to show her vaccination card but insisted she has to have been jabbed to do the job.

      That’s nice, but your own mandate says the bar has to confirm it.

    • Sean

      Good for her…but she’s guilty of eyebrow crimes.

    • Plisade

      Big *nose* Kate?

  28. Sean

    https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211213-why-tiny-words-like-yup-can-send-you-into-a-tailspin

    Seemingly innocuous spoken words – sure, OK, fine, yup, no prob, gotcha – feel like weapons in text. Why are we so sensitive?

    Thank you, great job

    Seeing this simple phrase in an email should make me happy – yet, without the warmth of an exclamation point, I feel a twinge of panic, even sadness. I understand different work and social cultures have different communication norms, yet part of my brain is working double-time to parse the subtext of that great job, minus punctuation. Did I do something wrong to deserve a frigid response? Was it frigid at all?

    Derp.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      Maybe because you’ve accustomed yourself to the constant over-emoting in social media that accompanies every small feat, like the posting of your daily bowel movement.

      • JaimeRoberto (shama/lama/ding dong)

        Smiley face, clapping emoji!!!

      • TARDis

        ???

    • juris imprudent

      Can I just slap that person, vigorously? I want them to feel the warmth of my palm.

    • Plisade

      Maybe try not assuming the worst?

    • R C Dean

      Another fragile neurotic. Just great. I’ve spent the day so far babysitting fragile neurotics at work.

      If they didn’t feel any “warmth” from me, good. Its not my job to fucking babysit adults.

    • Tundra

      GREAT article.

      Thank you.

    • Ghostpatzer

      Ironically, Dow’s exit from the magnesium market began just as demand for the metal started to skyrocket. One of the main uses for magnesium is in the production of aluminum alloys, a strong and lightweight material that has allowed automakers to meet ever-increasing fuel economy standards. By replacing parts traditionally made with steel, automakers have shed hundreds of pounds from passenger vehicles with no meaningful sacrifice to structural integrity. When it comes to fuel economy, every pound counts, and aluminum alloys appear in many components of modern cars, including body panels, gearboxes, cargo beds, and seat frames.

      With any luck at all, Mrs. Patzer and I won’t ever need to buy another car. It’s going to be a rough ride for the younguns.

  29. Not Adahn

    Got an email from a guy wanting to know if his 13yo son could shoot with us tomorrow.

    *warm glow*

    • UnCivilServant

      We’ll need that warmth. I is supposed to be awfully snowy.

    • UnCivilServant

      It seems no one is enforcing it.

      That makes me happy.

  30. hayeksplosives

    Sort of ON topic: This short piece over-emphasizes Elon Musk’s smack down of Joy Reid.

    The far more interesting bit is what he says further into the article.

    “There is a lot of accounting trickery in this bill that isn’t being disclosed to the public,” he added, noting that the $1.75 trillion price tag is deceptively low due to the arbitrary expiration of several programs.

    Musk slammed advocates of big government in recent remarks that he gave, saying, “It does not make sense to take the job of capital allocation away from people who have demonstrated great skill in capital allocation, and give it to an entity that has demonstrated very poor skill in capital allocation, which is the government.”

    “Government is simply the biggest corporation, with the monopoly on violence,” he added.

    https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-responds-to-joy-reids-attack-on-him?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=benshapiro

    • R C Dean

      I was on the phone with a bigshot DC law firm that does lobbying. They were giving us a rundown on the current status of, among other things, the Build Back Bolshevik bill. They noted some Republican had requested the price tag if all programs were assumed to run for 10 years (which came back at some even more incredible multi-trillion dollar figure). IOW, he called out the accounting trickery.

      The bigshot DC lobbyist pooh-poohed this as a meaningless stunt.

  31. Threedoor

    How many of those spending categories are even constitutional?

    Six. Maybe seven of them? At best.