How Much is One Brillion Dollars?

Author Unknown

 Editor's Note:  This came to me via e-mail.  I have no idea who originated it. However, I made some adjustments for clarity and accuracy.  Enjoy!  RK

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending your tax money.  A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.

• A billion seconds ago it was 1959. 
• A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
• A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
• A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
• A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans.  It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division. Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (D) was asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number..What does it mean?

• Well .. If you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman and child) You each get $516,528
• Or... If you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
• Or... If you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington , D.C - HELLO! - Are all your calculators broken??

1. Building Permit Tax 
2. CDL License Tax 
3. Cigarette Tax
4. Corporate Income Tax
5. Dog License Tax
6. Federal Income Tax (Fed)
7. Federal Unemployment Tax (FU TA)
8. Fishing License Tax
9. Food License Tax
10. Fuel Permit Tax
11. Gasoline Tax
12. Hunting License Tax
13. Inheritance Tax
14. Inventory Tax
15. IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
16. IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
17. Liquor Tax
18. Luxury Tax
19. Marriage License Tax
20. Medicare Tax
21. Property Tax
    
22. Real Estate Tax
23. Service charge Taxes
24. Social Security Tax
25. Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
26. Sales Taxes
27. Recreational Vehicle Tax
28. School Tax
29. State Income Tax
30. State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
31. Telephone Federal Excise Tax
32. Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
33. Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
34. Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
35. Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
36. Telephone State and Local Tax
37. Telephone Usage Charge Tax
38. Utility Tax
39. Vehicle License Registration Tax
40. Vehicle Sales Tax
41. Watercraft Registration Tax
42. Well Permit Tax
43. Workers Compensation Tax

Just think, we left British Rule to avoid so the tax on tea.  

One hundred years ago few of these taxes existed, the National Debt was twenty five billion and dropping, and America was the most prosperous in the world.  We had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What happened?  And I still have to press '1' for English! 

I hope this goes around the USA at least 100 times!!! What has happened to our country?????