[orangecat]

Would you classify the US during the 1990s as a hellhole? The federal government was spending 30% less per capita than it does today, adjusted for inflation.

So, it's not silly to say 'try somalia if you want zero government'.

It's very silly, because it implies that the alternative to spending $3.8 trillion a year is to dismantle core government services.

[jbooth]

And all of that difference is either defense spending or entitlements that caught up to us because of the baby boomer population bump. Not 'services' as most people would understand you meaning them.

Domestic discretionary spending has actually been falling relative to inflation the last 12 years. (http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/feb/...)