Fact is we could have state funded healthcare, education up through college etc and these would be net stimulus spending for the government as long as the service is provided at cost and responsibly. Part of our problem is that we spend more per capita on almost every program from education to healthcare, medicines, etc. But we see less of a return on that investment because some corporate interest has their hands in these services skimming as much as they can off the top and speculating on those returns. This is a hyperinflation cycle of the detrimental kind. So each year the cycle reinforces itself and we often have to spend more money for less of a return.