Republicans don’t have the ability to reveal to the nation what $5 billion spent on a border wall would mean when compared to federal spending of $4,100 billion in a year. They declare that $5 billion is 0.0012 of total government spending. Few citizens can grasp what that means.
Assume one silver dollar represents $1 billion. Now deliver 4,105 $1 silver coins to a basketball court near you.
Stack the coins in two columns on that maple floor. The thickness, or height, of a single silver dollar is 0.079 inches. The five coins representing $5 billion reach 3/8 inch above the floor. The 4,100 coins representing $4,100 billion extends 27 feet to the rafters, the height of a three story brick building.
Now 99 out of 100 citizens will know what $5 billion means when compared to total federal spending. A simple “show and tell” was all that was needed.
Floyd Diemoz
Glenwood Springs