Liberal members of Congress have asserted that the U.S. federal government has been expending an increasing portion of the nation's resources on the military and intelligence agencies. The following table contains the outlays (in billions of dollars) for the Defense Department and associated intelligence agencies since 1980. The data are also given as a percentage of gross national product (% GNP).
| Year |
Expenditure |
%GNP |
Year |
Expenditure |
%GNP |
| 1980 |
134 |
4.9 |
1993 |
291 |
4.4 |
| 1981 |
158 |
5.2 |
1994 |
282 |
4.1 |
| 1982 |
185 |
5.8 |
1995 |
272 |
3.7 |
| 1983 |
210 |
6.1 |
1996 |
266 |
3.5 |
| 1984 |
227 |
6 |
1997 |
271 |
3.3 |
| 1985 |
253 |
6.1 |
1998 |
269 |
3.1 |
| 1986 |
273 |
6.2 |
1999 |
275 |
3 |
| 1987 |
282 |
6.1 |
2000 |
295 |
3 |
| 1988 |
290 |
5.9 |
2001 |
306 |
3 |
| 1989 |
304 |
5.7 |
2002 |
349 |
3.4 |
| 1990 |
299 |
5.2 |
2003 |
376 |
3.5 |
| 1991 |
273 |
4.6 |
2004 |
391 |
3.5 |
| 1992 |
298 |
4.8 |
|
|
|
a. Plot the defense expenditures time-series data and describe any trends across the time 1980 to 2004.
b. Plot the %GNP time-series data and describe any trends across the time 1980 to 2004.
c. Do the two time series have similar trends? Do either of the plots support the members of Congress assertions?