Well you should, because that was only nine years ago.

Economist Chris Edwards ran the numbers, and found that since 2000, the federal government’s budget has doubled, from $1.79 trillion to an estimated $3.65 trillion today. Much of that can be contributed to former president Bush’s giant spending programs and the increase in defense spending to pay for the wars, but the largest upswing occurred just in the past year.

In 2009, the federal budget exploded from $2.98 trillion to an estimated $3.65 trillion, which would be the largest one-year leap in nearly 60 years when adjusted for inflation.

DownsizingGovernment.com has all the details, including a breakdown of federal spending by each federal department. It might even make you pine for those “old days.”

While his initial frustration with crony capitalism may be justified, while on Olbermann’s show, Moore completely failed to mention that General Electric, the company that keeps Olbermann on the air, received billions in bailout money last year. He also neglected to point out that Olbermann received a  $3.5 million pay raise around the same time that taxpayers paid to keep General Electric afloat. (Olbermann regularly scolds corporate employees who receive bonuses from bailed out companies.)

Despite calls to put his money where his mouth is and return his own bonus, Olbermann has remained silent. And while Moore is usually so quick to attack anyone benefiting from government-backed corporate profits,  he didn’t even mention his host’s own hypocrisy.

You see, to guys like Moore and Olbermann, it’s perfectly okay to make millions from taxpayers and capitalism, so long as it’s their bank account getting filled with the cash.

Americans are more likely today than in the recent past to believe that government is taking on too much responsibility for solving the nation’s problems and is over-regulating business. New Gallup data show that 57% of Americans say the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to businesses and individuals, and 45% say there is too much government regulation of business. Both reflect the highest such readings in more than a decade.

The biggest question is whether or not those pulling the strings in Washington will take note and tone it down a notch. My guess is that they will do all they can within the pre-election season window, and then start focusing back on the polls once we get closer to November 2010.

But let’s get back to the question. Has the government “done too much?” On George Stephanopoulos’ show last Sunday, President Obama shrugged off a question about those who question his policies,  saying, “My critics say everything’s a tax increase. My critics say that I’m taking over every sector of the economy.”

Cato’s David Boaz did a little digging and found that, well, technically, the president is telling the truth. He’s not taking over the entire economy. No, only “health care, energy, local schools, banks, insurance companies, automobile, companies, compensation at financial firms, newspapers and the Internet.”

What, too much?

Helping to create or upgrade a presence for Bertha Lewis, ACORNs Chief Organizer, on various social media, including: Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc.

Establishing a presence for ACORNs campaigns for example campaigns to stop foreclosures and to fight for immigrants rights on various social networking websites.

Developing new and innovative methods for the use of social networking technologies, including video, to enhance community organizing.

Isn’t the left supposed to the standard bearer for social media? Have the tides turned?

H/T Charlie Spiering at the Washington Examiner

According to the database, taxpayers supported ACORN to the tune of more than $12.5 million from 2003 to 2007.

Edwards says cutting off ACORN is only the beginning:

ACORN’s share of overall federal subsidies is tiny, but as thousands of similar organizations have become hooked on 1,800 different federal subsidy programs, a powerful lobbying force has been created that propels the $3.6 trillion spending juggernaut. ACORN’s own website touts its lobbying success in helping to pass various big government programs. So cutting off ACORN is a start, but just a small start at the daunting task of cutting back the giant federal spending empire.

And just how are we going to cut back the “spending empire”? For starters, here’s a department-by-department guide to cutting the federal government’s budget.