Defense vs. Human Resources Spending, 1945-92

This sculpture was inspired by a longstanding argument with my wife concerning Federal spending priorities. Her assumption, a common one, was that defense expenditures swamped the U.S. budget, leaving little for social programs.
'Humdef' is made of 47 layers of 3/4" poplar, each ovoid layer representing one year. The size of the horizontal axis of the ovals is determined by the defense expenditures for that year, and the vertical axis by human resources spending (education, social security, medicare, welfare, housing, etc.). The rising line through the center is based on population. Dollars are constant: 1984-86 = 100.
In 1945, at the end of WW II, defense spending accounts for a large proportion of the budget. By 1950 the two are about equal, but social spending declines relative to defense in the mid-50's due to the Korean War. By the early 70's President Johnson's Great Society programs cause social spending to overtake defense despite the Vietnam War.
Human resources spending now accounts for over half the federal budget, with defense and interest on the national debt each accounting for about 20%, leaving about 10% open to Congressional manipulation.
This project set off a conservative tremor in my otherwise liberal body.