5 ms·

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the IRS collected nearly $4.7 trillion in gross taxes, processed almost 271.5 million tax returns and other forms, and issued abou

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the IRS collected nearly $4.7 trillion in gross taxes, processed almost 271.5 million tax returns and other forms, and issued about $659.1 billion in tax refunds. [1] IRS’s actual expenditures were just over $16.1 billion for overall operations in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. [2] [1] https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-irs-data-book https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-irs-data-book [2] https://www.irs.gov/statistics/irs-budget-and-workforce https://www.irs.gov/statistics/irs-budget-and-workforce

miohtama 2y ago
Good to set into context, thank you
hobo_in_library 2y ago
More context: - The US Defense Budget alone is $842 billion for 2024 [1] - The US has given over $90 billion to Israel and Ukraine in 2024 [2] All funded by debt. $1 billion here is theater to make us feel good about "sticking it to the rich" We talk about getting the rich to "pay their fair share" as if the whole tax system isn't designed to get that money into the hands of whoever is greasing our politicians' palms. Good ol' military industrial complex.x [1] https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3326875/department-of-defense-releases-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2024-defense-budget/ https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/332687... [2] https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- deanCommie 2y ago
  How is it all funded by debt? OP says the IRS collected $4.7T in taxes. So the military budget is 17% of the collected taxes, and the aide to Israel/Ukraine is <2% of all the collected taxes. Why does debt matter?
  - qeternity 2y ago
    In 2023 the US had a deficit of $1.7T which we borrowed to cover by issuing Treasury bonds. You could debate which part of the $6.4T was funded by debt, but it seems reasonable to say that foreign aid is not a mandatory expenditure. That also doesn't mean it's not worth borrowing for. There is a helluva lot of fat to cut in the budget. Ukraine aid should not be the first port of call.
    - clarionbell 2y ago
      It is not mandatory by law. But if you want to keep being a superpower it very much is. Projecting your power and maintaining your commitments is a major part of that.
      - bhawks 2y ago
        The benefits of being a superpower are up for debate. Being a nuclear power is all that is needed for the security of US interests. There is significant need for investment locally.
        qeternity 2y ago
        > The benefits of being a superpower are up for debate. What? Nobody debates this. American excellency is a real thing. No country even comes close right now. I say this as an American expat.
      - deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
      - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
        > if you want to keep being a superpower Foreign aid is about avoiding war. The hope is the belligerents will end things themselves, or at the very least delay the point where we have to ship soldiers.
        2y ago
- jauntywundrkind 2y ago
  I see $90B in economic aid to Israel, but under the graph titled, > Israel Is the Largest Cumulative Recipient of U.S. Aid Total aid from fiscal years 1946 to 2024 !!! It's also worth noting that usually military aid numbers include the cost of the hardware we send over. It's a $300 aid package to Ukraine, but we are sending old M1 tanks and a small bit of the existing ATACMS inventory we've been stockpiling since the 80's.
  - hobo_in_library 2y ago
    My bad, posted the wrong link. Should have been: https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/3754718/supplemental-bill-becomes-law-provides-billions-in-aid-for-ukraine-israel-taiwan/ https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/37...
  - IAmNotACellist 2y ago
    Our biggest ally!

miohtama 2y ago

Good to set into context, thank you

hobo_in_library 2y ago

More context: - The US Defense Budget alone is $842 billion for 2024 [1] - The US has given over $90 billion to Israel and Ukraine in 2024 [2] All funded by debt. $1 billion here is theater to make us feel good about "sticking it to the rich" We talk about getting the rich to "pay their fair share" as if the whole tax system isn't designed to get that money into the hands of whoever is greasing our politicians' palms. Good ol' military industrial complex.x [1] https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3326875/department-of-defense-releases-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2024-defense-budget/ https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/332687... [2] https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
deanCommie 2y ago
How is it all funded by debt? OP says the IRS collected $4.7T in taxes. So the military budget is 17% of the collected taxes, and the aide to Israel/Ukraine is <2% of all the collected taxes. Why does debt matter?
- qeternity 2y ago
  In 2023 the US had a deficit of $1.7T which we borrowed to cover by issuing Treasury bonds. You could debate which part of the $6.4T was funded by debt, but it seems reasonable to say that foreign aid is not a mandatory expenditure. That also doesn't mean it's not worth borrowing for. There is a helluva lot of fat to cut in the budget. Ukraine aid should not be the first port of call.
  - clarionbell 2y ago
    It is not mandatory by law. But if you want to keep being a superpower it very much is. Projecting your power and maintaining your commitments is a major part of that.
    - bhawks 2y ago
      The benefits of being a superpower are up for debate. Being a nuclear power is all that is needed for the security of US interests. There is significant need for investment locally.
      - qeternity 2y ago
        > The benefits of being a superpower are up for debate. What? Nobody debates this. American excellency is a real thing. No country even comes close right now. I say this as an American expat.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
    - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
      > if you want to keep being a superpower Foreign aid is about avoiding war. The hope is the belligerents will end things themselves, or at the very least delay the point where we have to ship soldiers.
      - 2y ago
jauntywundrkind 2y ago
I see $90B in economic aid to Israel, but under the graph titled, > Israel Is the Largest Cumulative Recipient of U.S. Aid Total aid from fiscal years 1946 to 2024 !!! It's also worth noting that usually military aid numbers include the cost of the hardware we send over. It's a $300 aid package to Ukraine, but we are sending old M1 tanks and a small bit of the existing ATACMS inventory we've been stockpiling since the 80's.
- hobo_in_library 2y ago
  My bad, posted the wrong link. Should have been: https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/3754718/supplemental-bill-becomes-law-provides-billions-in-aid-for-ukraine-israel-taiwan/ https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/37...
- IAmNotACellist 2y ago
  Our biggest ally!