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POLITICS

Just Over Half Aware U.S. Spends Six Times as Much on Defense As Any Other Nation

Just 56% of Likely U.S. Voters recognize that the United States spends about six times as much on national defense as any other nation in the world. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 13% disagree and say it’s not true, while a sizable 31% are not sure.

For fiscal year 2011, the total budget for defense is estimated to be around $719 billion. That does not include the cost of veterans’ care, which totals another $124 billion. By comparison, no other nation in the world spends more than $125 billion on defense. Earlier polling showed that only 58% recognize that the United States spends more on defense than any other nation in the world. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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