This is How the U.S. Has Been Spending Its Money Since 1971

You’ve heard it too many times—griping and groaning about the United States’ debt, worrying about where tax dollars are going, outrage that the government is spending its money on all the wrong things—but in truth, too many Americans have no idea where the federal budget goes, which is a part of the reasons why they feel left in the dark.

Instead of pointing fingers, it’s always best to get a little perspective. Research engine FindTheBest complied federal budget data since 1971 to see how the government has been spending its money over time. The bars in the graph are divided by program.

Note that starting in 2008, around the time of the Great Recession, the government increased spending in Social Security, unemployment and labor, and it has steadily increased every year since. This was largely due to the fact that those without jobs realized that they could be eligible for Social Security disability benefits and Medicare, which would cover a big portion of their expenses.

Also, 2009 saw a significant increase in spending than the year before, especially in the “other” category—a mix of energy, agriculture, commerce and housing credit, community and regional development and other allowances. The spike was in commerce and housing credit, which increased from $27.8 billion in 2008 to $291 billion the next year as the government tried to fix the newly-burst housing bubble.