Data Sources
Every statistic on this website is backed by authoritative data from government agencies, academic institutions, and nonpartisan research organizations. Transparency and accuracy are fundamental to honest political discourse.
Showing 129 of 129 sources
Fiscal Policy
National Debt Total
$38.43 trillion
Total public debt outstanding as of January 2025
Debt growth rate
$1 trillion every 100 days
Based on debt trajectory from $34T (Jan 2024) to $38T+ (Jan 2025)
Federal Healthcare Spending
$1.5 trillion annually
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA subsidies combined
Annual Interest on National Debt
$1 trillion+
Net interest exceeded $1 trillion in FY2024, surpassing defense spending
Defense Spending
$850 billion
Total DoD budget authority
Improper Payments Annually
$162 billion
Estimated improper payments across federal programs
National Debt Per Household
$285,127
Total debt divided by ~134.7 million U.S. households
Federal Spending as % of GDP
23.3% (50-year avg: 21.1%)
Historical spending levels compared to current
Cumulative Improper Payments Since 2003
$2.8 trillion
Projected Interest Costs (10-year)
$13.8 trillion
GAO Identified Potential Savings
$725 billion over past decade
Tax Code Length
74,000 pages
Includes regulations and rulings
California Gas Tax
~70 cents per gallon
Combined state and local taxes, highest in nation
Healthcare
U.S. Healthcare Spending Per Person
$14,885
National Health Expenditure per capita (2024 estimate)
U.S. Spending vs Comparable Nations
2.5x more
Germany Healthcare Spending Per Capita
$7,383
France Healthcare Spending Per Capita
$6,517
United Kingdom Healthcare Spending Per Capita
$5,493
Japan Healthcare Spending Per Capita
$4,100
U.S. Life Expectancy Ranking
29th of 38 OECD nations
U.S. Infant Mortality Ranking
33rd of 38 OECD nations
Uninsured Americans
26 million
U.S. Drug Prices vs Other Countries
2.78x higher
Rural Hospitals Closed Since 2005
193
Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closure
30%
Medicare Drug Negotiation Discounts
38-79% on first 10 drugs
Projected Physician Shortage by 2038
86,000-187,000
Nurses Intending to Leave by 2029
40%
U.S. Healthcare Admin Costs vs Peers
$925 vs $245 per person
ACA Marketplace Enrollment
44 million
Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund Depletion
2033
Border & Immigration
Immigration Court Case Backlog
3.75 million cases
Average Asylum Processing Wait Time
4.3 years
Legal Immigration Wait (High-Demand Countries)
10+ years
For employment-based categories from India, China
Border Patrol Staffing Shortage
2,000 below authorized levels
Fentanyl Deaths in 2024
48,000
Synthetic opioid deaths, primarily fentanyl
Fentanyl Deaths in 2023
76,000
Fentanyl Smugglers Who Are U.S. Citizens
81%
Based on federal conviction data for fentanyl trafficking
Fentanyl Seized at Ports of Entry
~90%
Border Crossings in 2025
Lowest since 1970
Fentanyl Seizures Drop from 2024
55%
Border Patrol Attrition Rate
6%
Border Patrol Applicant Training Completion Rate
1.8%
Education
Total Student Loan Debt
$1.81 trillion
Student Loan Delinquency Rate
10%
U.S. Education Spending Ranking
3rd highest among developed nations
U.S. Spending Per Pupil
$20,387
U.S. Math Ranking Among OECD Nations
28th
China Annual STEM Graduates
3,570,000
India Annual STEM Graduates
2,550,000
U.S. Annual STEM Graduates
820,000
Construction Worker Shortage
439,000
Americans Living Paycheck to Paycheck
78%
States Requiring Financial Literacy
30 states
Up from 6 states in 2019
U.S. TIMSS Math Scores
Lowest since testing began in 1995
Infrastructure
U.S. Infrastructure Grade
C (highest ever)
Infrastructure Investment Gap
$3.7 trillion
Americans Without Broadband
19-26 million
China High-Speed Rail Network
25,000 miles (U.S. has zero true HSR)
Annual Grid Outage Costs to Businesses
$150 billion
Projected Blackout Increase by 2030
100x without action
Hours Lost to Traffic Congestion (2024)
63 hours per driver
Annual Congestion Costs
$269 billion
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Allocation
$711.8 billion
Bridges Needing Repair
1 in 3 / 42,000 in poor condition
Projected Grid Demand Surge
69% above projections
Due to data centers, AI, and electrification
Rural vs Urban Broadband Gap
22% rural lack vs 1.5% urban
IIJA DOT Funding Status
59% obligated, ~20% spent
Infrastructure Investment ROI
$1.50 per $1 invested
Israel Wastewater Recycling Rate
87-90%
California Wastewater Recycling Rate
Less than 10%
Central Valley Share of U.S. Food
25%
2012-2016 California Drought
Hottest and driest in 1,200 years
Desalination vs Groundwater Cost
$3,400/acre-foot vs $100/acre-foot
California Aqueduct Capacity Loss
Up to 46% in some areas
Energy
U.S. Oil Production
13.5 million barrels daily (record)
California Electricity Cost
30+ cents/kWh (52% above national average)
U.S. Nuclear Reactors Built in 30 Years
2 (vs 2 per year in China)
Americans Facing Power Shortfall Risk
151 million
U.S. Energy Project Permitting Time
4-7 years
Vogtle Nuclear Project Cost Overrun
$13 billion to $32 billion
Utility-Scale Renewables Cost
$30-32/MWh (cheapest source)
California Battery Storage Capacity
10,000 MW
Public Safety
U.S. Violent Crime Rate (2024)
Lowest since at least 1969
Murder Rate Decline 2023-2024
14.9% (largest one-year decline in history)
Property Crime Decline
8.1%
Retail Theft Increase Since 2019
93%
Police Staffing Level
91% of authorized
Police Recruitment Decline
50%
Police Retirement Increase
45%
Black vs White Incarceration Rate
5-6x higher
Hot Spots Policing Crime Reduction
16-35%
Community Violence Intervention Shooting Reduction
30%+
Government & Corruption
Congress Approval Rating
15-19%
Incumbent Reelection Rate
95-98%
Congressional Stock Trades (2023)
$630 million
STOCK Act Disclosure Violation Penalty
$200
Lobbying Spending (2024)
$4.4 billion
Dark Money in Elections
$1.9 billion
Americans Who Trust Federal Government
22%
Public Support for Congressional Stock Trading Ban
86%
Public Support for Term Limits
87%
Classified Documents Created Annually
50 million
Documents That Could Be Public
50-90%
Technology
Taiwan Share of Advanced Chips
90%+
China Annual Strategic Tech Investment
$55 billion
CHIPS Act Private Investment Catalyzed
$500+ billion
International STEM PhDs Wanting to Stay in U.S.
77%
IP Theft Costs to U.S. Companies
$225-600 billion annually
AI Research Citation Share: U.S. vs China
43% U.S. vs 40% China
Homelessness & Housing
Total Homeless Population (2024)
771,480 (record high)
Homelessness Increase
18%
California Homeless Population
187,000 (24% of national)
Houston Homelessness Reduction Since 2011
63%
Veterans Homelessness Decline Since 2010
55%
Homeless with Serious Mental Illness
18%
Homeless with Chronic Substance Abuse
14%
LA Permanent Supportive Housing Cost Per Unit
$600,000+
Housing First Retention Rate
75-98%
Rapid Rehousing vs Shelter Cost
$880/month vs $4,819/month
Foreign Policy
Post-9/11 Military Operations Spending
$8 trillion
Veterans Care Obligations
$2.2 trillion
Overseas Military Bases
~128 bases across 49 countries
Annual Overseas Base Costs
$65-94 billion
VA Budget
$326 billion (tripled over 14 years)
U.S. Defense Spending vs Other Countries
More than next 10 countries combined
Our Commitment to Accuracy
All statistics presented on this website are sourced from authoritative, verifiable sources including:
- Federal Government Agencies: U.S. Treasury, CBO, GAO, Census Bureau, CDC, FBI, DOE, DOT, HUD, VA
- International Organizations: OECD, World Health Organization, UNESCO
- Nonpartisan Research: Pew Research, RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, Urban Institute
- Academic Institutions: Brown University, Stanford HAI, National Science Foundation
- Industry Data: Semiconductor Industry Association, National Retail Federation, Police Executive Research Forum
If you believe any statistic is inaccurate or outdated, please contact us. We are committed to correcting any errors promptly.
Social Security Spending
$1.4 trillion annually
Mandatory spending on Social Security programs