$9 billion here, $21 trillion there...

[kalm]

Pretty soon you're talking about real money.

"Unsupported adjustments", are called "journal entries" in our Quickbooks company file. It's when you've fucked up the accounting, similar to a bird's nest on your fishing reel where at some point you just say 'screw it, I'm cutting out the mess and starting over'.

Only this is $21 Trillion worth of birds nests.

Cleets likes to point out that we don't have a revenue problem. I'm seeing the light. While the sheer size of the system makes some of this inevitable and I'm sure (as pointed out) similar stuff is going on in multiple departments, but still, $21 trillion?

It also reminds me of the de Tocqueville quote about the destruction of the republic once people learn they can vote themselves more money from the treasury. That's often used by conks to describe Democratic voters on welfare. Only this time it's defense contractors with lobbyists. Not that big pharma who bills medicare is any less of a welfare whore.

This is not capitalism, folks.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-p ... -trillion/

(Baldy will cry "truthdig" but the supporting article that is linked comes from Forbes)

[HI54UNI]

Think about it - $21 trillion is roughly the national debt.

[Chizzang]

I think we've finally hit a number that AZ can't quip is nothing more than a "rounding error"

[89Hen]

Obviously you guys have never seen Independence Day or 2012. Duh.

[kalm]

Obviously you guys have never seen Independence Day or 2012. Duh.

Bill Paxton was in one of those, right? I think I saw it.

[AZGrizFan]

I think we've finally hit a number that AZ can't quip is nothing more than a "rounding error"

Please tell me when I've EVER said that. Find the quote, I'll wait.

In your zeal to win the smugness award on the internet you continually step on your own dick.

[Pwns]

truthdig.

I don't think the DoD has gotten $21 trillion total since it was founded in 1947.

[AZGrizFan]

So, you're telling me I can't believe the national debt calculator I have that runs in the upper right corner of my computer screen?

[kalm]

truthdig.

I don't think the DoD has gotten $21 trillion total since it was founded in 1947.

Oops! Wrong GSU guy!

Reading is fundamental, friend.

[Chizzang]

I think we've finally hit a number that AZ can't quip is nothing more than a "rounding error"

Please tell me when I've EVER said that. Find the quote, I'll wait.

In your zeal to win the smugness award on the internet you continually step on your own dick.

Lighten up Frances... I was just poking fun

[css75]

https://youtu.be/0OnpkDWbeJs


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Pwns]

truthdig.

I don't think the DoD has gotten $21 trillion total since it was founded in 1947.

Oops! Wrong GSU guy!

Reading is fundamental, friend.

Kalm, I've seen stories like this before. Usually on websites like Infowars and Common Dreams. That doesn't mean it's wrong, but the idea of them having that much money to spend over 17 years causes the fuse to blow in the ole BS detector.

[kalm]

Oops! Wrong GSU guy!

Reading is fundamental, friend.

Kalm, I've seen stories like this before. Usually on websites like Infowars and Common Dreams. That doesn't mean it's wrong, but the idea of them having that much money to spend over 17 years causes the fuse to blow in the ole BS detector.

Hint: Read my OP.

[Baldy]

Pretty soon you're talking about real money.

"Unsupported adjustments", are called "journal entries" in our Quickbooks company file. It's when you've fucked up the accounting, similar to a bird's nest on your fishing reel where at some point you just say 'screw it, I'm cutting out the mess and starting over'.

Only this is $21 Trillion worth of birds nests.

Cleets likes to point out that we don't have a revenue problem. I'm seeing the light. While the sheer size of the system makes some of this inevitable and I'm sure (as pointed out) similar stuff is going on in multiple departments, but still, $21 trillion?

It also reminds me of the de Tocqueville quote about the destruction of the republic once people learn they can vote themselves more money from the treasury. That's often used by conks to describe Democratic voters on welfare. Only this time it's defense contractors with lobbyists. Not that big pharma who bills medicare is any less of a welfare whore.

This is not capitalism, folks.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-p ... -trillion/

(Baldy will cry "truthdig" but the supporting article that is linked comes from Forbes)

Hmmmm...just spitballin' here, but maybe post the article from Forbes instead?

[kalm]

Pretty soon you're talking about real money.

"Unsupported adjustments", are called "journal entries" in our Quickbooks company file. It's when you've fucked up the accounting, similar to a bird's nest on your fishing reel where at some point you just say 'screw it, I'm cutting out the mess and starting over'.

Only this is $21 Trillion worth of birds nests.

Cleets likes to point out that we don't have a revenue problem. I'm seeing the light. While the sheer size of the system makes some of this inevitable and I'm sure (as pointed out) similar stuff is going on in multiple departments, but still, $21 trillion?

It also reminds me of the de Tocqueville quote about the destruction of the republic once people learn they can vote themselves more money from the treasury. That's often used by conks to describe Democratic voters on welfare. Only this time it's defense contractors with lobbyists. Not that big pharma who bills medicare is any less of a welfare whore.

This is not capitalism, folks.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-p ... -trillion/

(Baldy will cry "truthdig" but the supporting article that is linked comes from Forbes)

Hmmmm...just spitballin' here, but maybe post the article from Forbes instead?

No. I liked Lee Camp's snarky screed and I figured it might catch some of our more gullible fish.

Yes!

(I even telegraphed the expedition in the OP... )

[AZGrizFan]

Please tell me when I've EVER said that. Find the quote, I'll wait.

In your zeal to win the smugness award on the internet you continually step on your own dick.

Lighten up Frances... I was just poking fun

I'll kill ya!

phpBB [video]

[kalm]

Lighten up Frances... I was just poking fun

I'll kill ya!

phpBB [video]

Cuz...cuz...that’s why they call you the cruiser!

[JohnStOnge]

truthdig.

I don't think the DoD has gotten $21 trillion total since it was founded in 1947.

I think you've got a point there. The article says the Pentagon spent 21 trillion unaccounted-for dollars between 1998 and 2015. I don't think that much was spent in total discretionary spending over the period. I didn't look up each year but total discretionary spending, of which military spending was a little more than half, was $1.15 trillion in 2015. 1998 through 2015 is 18 years. Multiply $1.15 trillion times 18 and you get $20.7 trillion.

Something's not adding up. Yes I know it wasn't $1.15 trillion in discretionary spending every year but it's going to be in the ballpark. Probably substantially less near the beginning of the period since we're not adjusting for inflation. It's probably be fairly close to guess that TOTAL military spending was somewhere in the $10 to $15 trillion range.

[kalm]

truthdig.

I don't think the DoD has gotten $21 trillion total since it was founded in 1947.

I think you've got a point there. The article says the Pentagon spent 21 trillion unaccounted-for dollars between 1998 and 2015. I don't think that much was spent in total discretionary spending over the period. I didn't look up each year but total discretionary spending, of which military spending was a little more than half, was $1.15 trillion in 2015. 1998 through 2015 is 18 years. Multiply $1.15 trillion times 18 and you get $20.7 trillion.

Something's not adding up. Yes I know it wasn't $1.15 trillion in discretionary spending every year but it's going to be in the ballpark. Probably substantially less near the beginning of the period since we're not adjusting for inflation. It's probably be fairly close to guess that TOTAL military spending was somewhere in the $10 to $15 trillion range.

It’s the OIG that reported the amount and it pertains to undocumented “adjustments” to expenses within the Pentagon’s own accounting rather than what was budgeted.

Perhaps unaccounted for spending is off budget?

[CID1990]

Fvck

We have a colony on Titan


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Winterborn]

Fvck

We have a colony on Titan


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Or the back side of the moon.

[Ibanez]

truthdig.

I don't think the DoD has gotten $21 trillion total since it was founded in 1947.

I think you've got a point there. The article says the Pentagon spent 21 trillion unaccounted-for dollars between 1998 and 2015. I don't think that much was spent in total discretionary spending over the period. I didn't look up each year but total discretionary spending, of which military spending was a little more than half, was $1.15 trillion in 2015. 1998 through 2015 is 18 years. Multiply $1.15 trillion times 18 and you get $20.7 trillion.

Something's not adding up. Yes I know it wasn't $1.15 trillion in discretionary spending every year but it's going to be in the ballpark. Probably substantially less near the beginning of the period since we're not adjusting for inflation. It's probably be fairly close to guess that TOTAL military spending was somewhere in the $10 to $15 trillion range.

Your math and post makes the argument for $21T. You total to $20.7T then admit the discretionary spending every year was was $1.15. You're not off by much.


And you guys have no clue how badly our government can waste money. You really are giving our gov't too much credit.

[∞∞∞]

Not that it defeats the general point, but after reading the Forbes article listed in the original post, it should be clarified that the DoD isn't accountable for the entire 21 trillion dollars:

...original government sources indicate $21 trillion in unsupported adjustments have been reported for the Department of Defense and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the years 1998-2015.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kotlikoff/ ... 256efe7aef

That said, the article also states at least 6.5 trillion dollars is specifically from the Army General Fund.

[AZGrizFan]

truthdig.

I don't think the DoD has gotten $21 trillion total since it was founded in 1947.

I think you've got a point there. The article says the Pentagon spent 21 trillion unaccounted-for dollars between 1998 and 2015. I don't think that much was spent in total discretionary spending over the period. I didn't look up each year but total discretionary spending, of which military spending was a little more than half, was $1.15 trillion in 2015. 1998 through 2015 is 18 years. Multiply $1.15 trillion times 18 and you get $20.7 trillion.

Something's not adding up. Yes I know it wasn't $1.15 trillion in discretionary spending every year but it's going to be in the ballpark. Probably substantially less near the beginning of the period since we're not adjusting for inflation. It's probably be fairly close to guess that TOTAL military spending was somewhere in the $10 to $15 trillion range.

Jon. It's UNACCOUNTED FOR. As in, not in the accounting system. The government uses cash accounting methods. Which is pretty handy when you control the ability to print money.