the 1990s to 244 trillion in the first year of the 21 century. that helps to explain why the washington d.c. area, a region which has few natural resources and little manufacturing is now home to seven of the nation's ten richest counties. washington is home to the highest concentration of lawyers in the country. the average government work's compensation now stands at over $126,000 a year. >> in some ways the government is immune to the forces that face families and businesses all across the country who are having to tighten their belts, who very often are having to make due with the same amount this year that they had last year. government views itself as separate and immunity from all of that. >> reporter: the government deals with the country's problems by creating new programs. with any new program comes a food khaeufpb contractors,