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In Terms We Can Understand: $700B = 12 Bill Gateses

Posted Sep 24, 08 2:22 PM CDT in Business 

(Newser) – Ben Bernanke and Henry Paulson have been urging Congress the past two days to authorize the largest bailout in US history. Slate breaks $700 billion into smaller bites:

  • $2,300 per person (based on the US population of 300 million)
  • 12 Bill Gateses
  • 381 Hollywood blockbusters (Titanic made $1.8 billion)

  • 7 times the single-year cost of obesity in the US ($117 billion in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control)
  • Florida's gross domestic product
  • The Netherlands' gross domestic product (last year it was $768.7 billion)
  • Just more than the amount ($600 billion) the US has spent on the Iraq war

Source: Slate

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Stock markets the world over are anxiously awaiting a verdict on the proposed $700 billion US bailout.   (AP Photo)
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson departs the Newseum after being interviewed on the financial crisis on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos.   (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
Ben Bernanke testifies on before the Senate Banking Committee. Ben Bernanke bluntly warned reluctant lawmakers Tuesday they risk a recession unless they act on the Bush administration's $700 billion plan...   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
The $700 billion bailout under debate in Washington is about equal to the personal fortunes of 12 incarnations of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.   (AP Photo)
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If nothing is done to change the way we finance Social Security ... in 75 years, there'll be a shortfall of $4.3 trillion—or about six bailouts. - Juliet Lapidos

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