To compare historical figures to present day is absurd. The variables that need to be controls are 1. World Population 2. US population 3. Cost of Defense/person 4. Cost of SS/per person 5. Cost of X/person ect ect ect. No-one will be able to solve the problems over night. The easiest way to save ourselves over the term(20-30 years) cut Defense spending to what the World averages
US 687,105,000,000/308,745,538(2010 est)= $2225 per person per year
China 114,300,000,000/1,338,612,968= $85 per person per year
France 61,285,000,000/65,312,249=$938 per person per year
4
United Kingdom 57,424,000,000 / 62,698,362= $915
5
Russia 52,586,000,000 /138,739,892=$379 6
Japan 51,420,000,000 /126,475,664=$406 7
Germany 46,848,000,000 /81,471,834=$575 8
Saudi Arabia 42,917,000,000 /26,131,703=$1642 9
Italy 38,198,000,000 /61,016,804=$626
to mention the collateral damage (Deaths, vets long term Health-care, ect)
So if we spend what China contributes 308,745,538 x $85 = 26,362,821,694.55
687,105,000,000-26,362,821,694= 660,742,178,305 per year
Well that will never happen!!
Current deficit
/660,742,178,305= 21.6 years to be debt free WTF
Time to defend us here but not by fighting over there!