A radical change in the nature and scope of government spending has emerged in the United States over the past 68 years. These changes include: In 2019, the U.S. Federal government spent 15.3% of each dollar of federal government spending went to fund national defense. Government's spending priorities have shifted dramatically, away from "common defense" and toward promoting "the general welfare." In 1953, 69.38% of each dollar of federal government spending went to fund national defense. By 2019, 18.3% of each dollar of federal government spending went to fund Social Security and another 23.9% was devoted to health care spending