Spending & Budget | Charts

Renewable-Energy Subsidies and Electricity Generation

Veronique de Rugy | May 21, 2013
This chart uses data from the US Energy Information Administration to compare federal investments in green energy and the share of green energy in electricity generation.

Public Debt Under Various FY 2014 Proposals

Veronique de Rugy | May 13, 2013
The recent release of budget plans for fiscal year 2014 makes a proper perspective of projections of public debt even more important. This week’s chart shows the debt held by the public as a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP) under various budget proposals.

Cronyism: Green Car Edition

Veronique de Rugy | Apr 30, 2013
Since 2009, the Department of Energy (DOE) provided guaranteed loans through its Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program valued at approximately $8.4 billion to Ford, Nissan, Fisker Automotive, and other car manufacturers. The DOE touted the ATVM loan program as a tool for boosting America’s “clean energy economy” by adding nearly 38,700 jobs. Far less attention was paid to how the loan commitments exposed taxpayers to excessive risk, to the tune of about $217,028 per job “created or saved.”…

FY2014 Budget Proposals In Perspective

Veronique de Rugy | Apr 11, 2013
With the recent release of President Obama’s FY 2014 budget, it is important to put the budget numbers from the various proposals into proper perspective. These charts compare the patterns of future spending projections from the Senate Democratic budget by Chairman Patty Murray, House Republican budget by Chairman Paul Ryan, Senator Rand Paul’s budget, and the president’s budget.

Social Security Running a Permanent Cash-flow Deficit

Veronique de Rugy | Apr 09, 2013
Spending on Social Security is now at untenable levels, as this chart, using annual data from the Social Security Administration (SSA) 2012 Trustees Report, illustrates.

Participation in Major Antipoverty Programs Since the Financial Crisis

Veronique de Rugy | Apr 02, 2013
This chart shows the average monthly enrollment for three major antipoverty programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), better known as food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid.

A Closer Look at Senate and House Budget Proposals

Veronique de Rugy | Mar 25, 2013
The Senate Democratic and House Republican budget proposals are scheduled for consideration; the former drafted by Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray, and the latter by House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan. The following charts compare and contrast key aspects of the Ryan and Murray plans. The charts use data from the Senate Democratic and House Republican FY 2014 budgets and the Congressional Budget Office’s most recent Budget and Economic Outlook.

United States Drops in Global Competitiveness

Veronique de Rugy | Mar 25, 2013
The following charts use data from the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) global competitiveness report to show how the United States measures up against the rest of the world. The global competitiveness index examines multiple factors, including a country’s political institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, financial markets, and innovation.

Ryan Budget Grows Spending at a Slower Rate, But Still Grows Spending

Veronique de Rugy | Mar 13, 2013
Mercatus Center senior research fellow Veronique de Rugy outlines the shortcomings of the Ryan Plan here. These charts examine how the Ryan Plan measures up to the Congressional Budget Office’s most recent budget outlook for FY 2013 to FY 2023.

Key Assumptions Behind CBO's GDP Outlook

Veronique de Rugy | Mar 11, 2013
Since CBO’s projected debt and deficit figures are contingent on other economic indicators like GDP, examining the assumptions underlying these figures is critical. Under a more realistic assumption of GDP growth, actual debt in 2023 might be even higher than the 77 percent of GDP projected in the CBO’s baseline scenario.