Don’t Worry, It’s Only in US Dollars

Barack Obama proposes $17 billion in savings for 2010. This is on an estimated federal budget of $3.6 trillion. With an estimated deficit of $1.1 trillion. And $11 trillion in debt.

Just to put that into perspective, that would roughly be equivalent to:

You make $50,000 a year (about the median household income in the US the last year they reported it).

You spend $75,000 a year. Or more than $2,000 a month more than you take in.

You have $500,000 in debt.

You pay $1,000 in interest on that debt every month.

You propose, in order to reduce your overspending, an annual spending reduction of $354.

The previous proposal, which was understandably laughed at, of a $100 million reduction would be equivalent to an annual savings of … wait for it … $2.08.

P.S. Never mind. Too draconian.