The fact that the United States' yearly deficit spending is set to soon top $1 trillion — an amount that is itself larger than most governments' entire operating budget — might be an indicator that the federal government has gotten too large. No matter which party is in power, the federal government and its attendant spending never really ceases to grow. We're taught in school a rose-colored tale of selfless public servants righteously chosen by solemn, considering voters to go to Washington to diligently represent their constituency's best interests. But is it true? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they talk about this and more on this week's episode of Words and Numbers.

Quick hits

Federal deficit to top $1 trillion

http://reason.com/archives/2018/01/04/trillion-dollar-deficit-deja-vu

The DNC is broke

http://theweek.com/speedreads/752743/dnc-reportedly-dead-broke-rnc-nearly-40-million

Foolishness of the Week

http://reason.com/blog/2018/02/02/inside-the-insane-battle-over-arizonas-d

Topic of the week: The Security State and the Therapeutic State

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/hist03z2.xls

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/POP