Hoover Institution at Stanford University

Facts on Policy™

Facts on Policy

FACTS ON POLICY™ highlights facts relevant to current issues of public interest, adding context to the world of opinion, commentary, and policy dialogue.

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1. Consumer Spending
Personal consumption accounts for 70 percent of gross domestic product.

2. Prison Demographics
In December 2006, there were 1.57 million people in federal or state prisons.

3. Homeownership Rates
Homeownership rates in the United States peaked in 2004, hitting 69.2 percent.

4. Historical Inflation Rates
Since 1990, annual inflation has hovered at historically low levels—averaging under 3 percent per year.

5. School Funding Shift
U.S. public school funding was once primarily financed locally but over time it has shifted toward state and federal funding.

6. Income Tax Distribution
The individual income tax share that the wealthiest Americans pay has steadily increased over time.

7. Consumer Debt
Household debt fell for the first time in fifty-six years.

8. China's Economic Growth
Over the past seventeen years, China’s economy has grown, on average, by more than 10 percent per year.

9. Defense Spending
The United States spends just over 4 percent of its gross domestic product on defense expenditures.

10. Prison Sentencing
The average criminal sentenced to state prison serves a little more than half of her or his sentence.

 


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