I'm pretty sure it includes the Marshall Plan, which was about $10 billion. The foreign aid budget is loudly attacked, but seldom talked about in detail. It's a vanishingly small amount of money compared to the social welfare programs we pay for.
i have used this at times to illustrate the numbness, and to bring to mind what the failed socialist agendas are costing us, not to mention the immeasurable social costs (abortion and on and on and on).....counting one number per second, (start fast, cause the numbers get big, and take longer to pronounce), how long would it take you to count to one million? especially illustrative if you count for 12 hours, and eat/sleep 12 hours.....
a billion? then, a trillion? outstanding yes?
so when i see "500 billion", im automatically thinking; "half a trillion"....its good for the "visceral" part of the message.
regards, john