4/88Percentage change, since 1981, in federal funds budgeted for subsidized housing: -81

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (Washington)

1/89Chances that a corporate merger in 1980 was challenged by the federal government: 1 in 68

Mergers & Acquisitions (Philadelphia)/Rep. Peter Rodino (N.J.)

    Chances that a corporate merger today will be challenged: 1 in 328

Mergers & Acquisitions/U.S. Dept. of Justice/U.S. FTC

2/09Profit that the federal government made in 1983 on stock obtained in its 1979 bailout of Chrysler: $311,000,000

James Blanchard (Washington)

5/95Average amount the federal government spends each day on paid informants: $266,000

Fred Strasser, National Law Journal (N.Y.C.)

    Average amount it spent in 1985: $68,000

Fred Strasser, National Law Journal (N.Y.C.)

3/97Federal funds spent since last October to gild Newt Gingrich’s office ceiling, gold excluded: $40,400

Architect of the Capitol (Washington)