Test your budgetability

Because this is the time of year to preen your patriotic feathers, we thought we might just offer a quick civics quiz. Today's subject is federal spending, which you already know all about, right?

Here we go:

1. Of the $3.6 trillion spent by Washington last year, how much of that was borrowed money?

a. One tenth

b. One fifth

c. One quarter

d. One third

2. What percent of the federal tax dollar went to health care?

a. 2 percent

b. 8 percent

c. 21 percent

d. 48 percent

3. What percent went to Social Security?

a. 10 percent

b. 20 percent

c. 30 percent

d. 40 percent

4. What percent went to defense?

a. 10 percent

b. 20 percent

c. 30 percent

d. 40 percent

5. What percent went to interest?

a. 1 percent

b. 6 percent

c. 10 percent

d. 15 percent

Let's see how you did and then we'll fill in some additional blanks.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, nearly a third of that $3.6 trillion was borrowed money. The largest single chunk of the budget, percentage-wise, went to health care - 21 percent of all federal spending, with Medicare accounting for the lion's share. Social Security and defense spending each took 20 percent of the budget pie, while interest gobbled up 6 percent of federal spending last year.

The federal government also funds programs like food stamps, earned income and tax credits, federal aid for school meals, Supplemental Security Income and so on. This category accounted for 13 percent of all federal spending.

And the last 20 percent went to layers of federal government including the FBI, the EPA, Interior Department and other agencies.

We've presented this little exercise not just so you could brush up on important numbers but so you can thoughtfully consider where you want cuts to be made. To balance the budget, big cuts will be needed. Where would you like to begin?