I don't think everybody realizes how much money $789 billon is. Just $789 would make a car or house payment or pay property taxes. So let's start with 10 times $789 - that would be $7,890. That is about two months of pay for the average person. Now eight more zeroes. For each zero you add, you have to multiply by 10. Your calculator won't go that high.
People who are lucky enough to win the lottery and get $1 million would have a lot of money, but you would have to multiply that by 789,000 to get $789 billon. Denver is expected to get $2.8 billon, so somebody in Washington is keeping some of the money for his or her pet projects. Remember, for each $1 we send to Washington, Colorado might get back 65 cents. So all you kids in middle and high school will be paying this back for a long time. The city, schools, county, state or federal government never seem to have enough of our tax money to spend.
Byron Pickett, Durango
