The next time you hear a local office holder or candidate complain about the increase in government expenditures by the federal government, remember this graph.  From 1929 through 2009, the increase has been amazing. Ask each state and local incumbent candidate for office:

"What have you specifically done
to keep state and local government expenditures
in line with the needs and abilities
of taxpayers to pay for services rendered?

The Democratic and Republican Parties will each spend hundreds of millions (billions actually) to sell you on the idea that they are the better of the "two" Parties when it comes to government finance. The truth of the matter is that both have failed year-after-year. 

The following year-by-year list reflects billions of dollars:

5.6 (1929)

5.9

6.2

6.1

6.3

6.9

7.5

5.9

6.6

6.7

7.0

7.4

7.9

8.5

8.9

9.1

9.5

11.2

13.5

15.5 (1948 - Election - President Truman)

16.8

18.6

19.4

20.7 (1952 Election - President Eisenhower)

22.0

23.7

25.9

28.0 (1956 Election - President Eisenhower)

30.8

34.2

36.9

40.2 (1960 Election - President Kennedy)

43.8

46.8

50.3

54.9 (1964 Election - Pressident Johnson)

60.0

67.2

75.5

86.0 (1968 Election - President Nixon)

97.5

113.0

128.5

142.8 (1972 Election - President Nixon)

158.6

178.7 (1974 Resignation of President Nixon - President Ford)

207.1

226.3 (1976 Election - President Carter)

246.8

268.9

295.4

329.4 (1980 Election - President Reagan)

362.7

393.6

423.7

456.2 (1984 Election - President Reagan)

498.7

540.9

578.6

618.3 (1988 Election - President Bush)

667.4

731.8

795.2

847.6 (1992 Election - President Clinton)

889.1

936.6

982.7

1022.1 (1996 Election - President Clinton)

1063.2

1117.6

1198.6

1281.3 (2000 Election - President Bush)

1389.9

1466.8

1535.1

1609.3 (2004 Election - President Bush)

1704.5

1778.6

1905.6

2014.4 (2008 Election - President Obama)

2014.6 (2009)

The failure to control spending lies with the electorate. We the People continue to elect the same crew (and their offspring) to office.  Not until We the People have a sufficient number of people who are willing to change their party of affiliation on their voter registration to the Florida Whig Party, NPA (no party affiliation) or another third party, will the two party grip by local and state good-old-boys, be broken. Men and women of quality and ability must then run for office and We the People must then support each beyond merely voting and paying lip service. The face of who is responsible for today's financial mess lies in your mirror. Ask yourself:

Did I do enough in past elections to influence my
family, friends, neighbors, relatives, and co-workers?

The time to start the change begins now, for if you wait one second more, you're letting them take more of yours that they do not deserve or need, and will pocket or redistribute to continue the modern spoils system. 

Think About It