Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

A comparison of the cost (actual and inflation adjusted) of the $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) with other seminal expenditures in history.

This isn't really a fair comparison as it has yet to be determined how much of the $700 billion in funds will be recovered since it was provided as equity and loans, nonetheless, the numbers are interesting to look at.

• Marshall Plan: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted: $115.3 billion
• Louisiana Purchase: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted: $217 billion
• Race to the Moon: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted: $237 billion
• S&L Crisis: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted: $256 billion
• Korean War: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted: $454 billion
• The New Deal: $32 billion (Est), Inflation Adjusted: $500 billion (Est)
• Invasion of Iraq: $551b, Inflation Adjusted: $597 billion
• Vietnam War: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted: $698 billion
  

On an unrelated note, I had no idea that "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" is a song. Apparently, a version sung by Bing Crosby is one of the best known songs and the best selling record from the Great Depression.

Here is an updated version of "Brother, Can You Space a Dime" sung live by George Michael (yes, that George Michael) at a concert hosted in 2000 by Lucciano Pavarotti.