The federal government spends 10 times more on seniors than on children.

Oct 12, 2026 · 3:21 PM UTC

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Replying to @SteveRattner @Wu_Tang_Finance
Children can’t vote
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Health and social security mostly. Would you rather the government let them starve and die? I don't think so. You seem like a good fellow.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
This is exactly how the system is designed to work!
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Replying to @SteveRattner
And what little is spent on kids is pissed away to a declining and ineffective education system.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Serious asterisk on this data/chart
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Replying to @SteveRattner
yeah thats a wild gap tbh
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Replying to @SteveRattner @RobynJLeader
Yes, as the elderly have the high medical costs and are getting the money they paid into Social Security back. Don’t fall for the fake generational war nonsense.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Is it really spending on our retirees? If I give you $100 today to hold onto for 30 years and 30 years later you give it back to me……are you “spending” on me?
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Replying to @SteveRattner
If you remove Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Public school students run between $20,000-35,000 per student per year You are completely full of shit.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Define federal spending since some things - like social security- are federal programs while most of education is state level. Your post is like saying the government spends more on the army than grocery stores. Correct. Who are tou trying to scare?
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Replying to @SteveRattner
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Replying to @SteveRattner
The government's investment in seniors ends up in the grave, which is why it makes more sense to invest in young people and families with children
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Replying to @SteveRattner
This is disingenuous because most spending on children is done at the state and local level.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
The federal government spends more on illegals' welfare than the6 do on american kids, and seniors combined. Local taxation, and buy-in to social security and Medicare taxes are what pay for kids and seniors. You are quite sisingenuous.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Good reason for that. Almost all children have a parent or parents to care for them. Many seniors don’t have anyone taking care of them.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
The federal government only funds 10 percent of elementary and secondary education which is paid for by state and local taxes paid by seniors. These taxpayers get Social Security and Medicare that they were taxed for. As usual, Steve is misleading and largely incorrect.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Made with AI
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Part of that is that we don't expect seniors to have wages/salaries. The figure for federal benefits will be higher for low wage or no wage adults. Does the figure for kids include the benefits their parents might be receiving, like Section 8 housing, WIC, SNAP, EITC?
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Replying to @SteveRattner
A lot of ppl are confused about this chart. First off it’s federal spending. Feds manage SS and Medicare. That’s why it’s high. The feds should probably be spending more on children. Universal prek, baby bonds, mental health or an expanded nutrition program to end child hunger.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
This is misleading. Seniors paid into Social Security for 40+ years. Medicare exists because it’s impossible for anyone over the age of 65 to buy private health insurance.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Why is it spending anything? Nothing federal about it. Federal means pertaining to foreign countries or relations among the states. By the way, you forgot to mention the debt they foist onto kids. 😂😂😂
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Chart is federal only. Most K-12 spending (hundreds of billions) is state and local—and it varies a lot by state. Adding it narrows the gap but doesn’t erase or excuse it. Kids’ development and education are investments that pay off later. That part is still shortchanged and not sufficiently supported nationally.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
And? Is that social security? Because that’s not “federal spending”. JFC, you want old people to die of starvation on the streets?
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Replying to @SteveRattner
you mean spending the money on them that they put into the system?
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Are Social security and Medicare revenues excluded from your numbers?
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Replying to @SteveRattner
What's the "right amount" to spend on children v. seniors, Steve? Take a little risk and actually express an opinion rather than just throwing criticism bombs.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
I see you're calling it "federal spending" are you also including retirement benefits? Also not mentioned, state and local spending on school kids- we both know Washington used to pick up the lion's share of that and now barely lifts a finger.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Gerontocracy on display here
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Why did they spend $40,000 on Steve Rattner
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Replying to @SteveRattner
So you're including the retirement supplement program that we paid 6 figures into. Why would you do that.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
The Federal Govt collects a specific tax with the sole purpose of spending on seniors. There is no such tax to fund children.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Correct, because seniors have paid in into Social Security their entire lives, children haven't. Seniors also have many more medical issues than children do. Get real, dude.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Children dont vote.
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Replying to @SteveRattner
Isn’t that what parents are for? I didn’t get fucking shit from the gubment for raising my 3 kids except tax bills!
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