By now you’ve heard that the federal budget for 2009 released by the White House will break three trillion dollars in spending.

By focusing on the deficit, government officials try to turn the public away from the sheer amount of government. The government is spending 20.7% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product next year, according to the White House’s own budget totals. The government spending 20.7% of the entire country. Ouch.

It plans on taking 18.0% of the GDP in revenue. There is no mystery here as to why the economy is stumbling.

At one time or another during the campaign, Republicans have talked about cutting spending. The National Taxpayers Union ran the numbers on the candidates’ spending proposals:

McCain $6.9 billion increase
Romney $19.5 billion increase
Huckabee $54.2 billion increase
Paul $150.1 billion decrease

Obama is the biggest spender at $287 billion, and Clinton checks in at $218.2.