Quiz time

Well here's a talking points buster from today's Parade magazine, which comes in our Sunday paper.

There is a quiz regarding government spending, you can take it here.

But here are the highlights.

1. Whose administration oversaw the biggest decrease in defense spending?

Three Republicans and Jimmy Carter are the choices. The truth? Eisenhower, Nixon and the first Bush reduced defense spending more than any of the Dems from 1952 to 2008.

Democrats are not weak on defense.

3. The national debt grew fastest when: Dems controlled both houses? GOP controlled both houses? Control of Congress was mixed? Answer: National Debt as a % of GDP decreased when either party controlled congress and increased when Congress was split.

So we need to maintain Democratic control of both houses to control the debt.

6. This was a question about gross domestic product (GDP) and how today's GDP compares to 1950's GDP. Half? Same? 3X? 10X? Answer: We produced three times as much stuff per person in the US in 2008 as we did in 1950.

So all the jobs are not overseas, it seems.

Those are just a few of the questions and answers and you may be surprised at the others as well.

Now, lets go eat some Dreamland ribs.




Here's Mary Chapin Carpenter's song, Dreamland: