wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) (11/23/83)
Once more we hear from one of those who slept through Government 101. Let me splain it to you once again. It is the Congess that authorizes the amount of money to be spent by the Government, NOT the President. Specifically, it is the House that controls the purse strings. Look it up. The House has been under the control of the Democratic party for over 30 years. Get the picture? The military budget is still one helluva lot less than the total of all the social programs. Look to the source of our current economic problems, not to the President just because you don't like him. I could just as well blame Mickey Mouse for the national debt. Remember, Congress appropriates the money to be used by the executive branch. The executive branch then uses the money to carry out the programs authorized by Congress. This might be a little simplistic, but I am just damned tired of hearing the same old hogwash about presidential spending. If you want to really get upset over spending, read the Congressional Record at your library. It is a real eye opener.
fair@ucbvax.UUCP (11/28/83)
Congress may authorize a budget, but it is the executive branch (through the Office of Management and Budget) that proposes a budget. And it is under the pressure of public support for the President that such a budget is passed. Also, any budget that Congress passes can STILL be vetoed by the Pres. Now who was it that missed Gov't 101? Erik E. Fair ucbvax!fair fair@ucb-arpa.ARPA
wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (11/30/83)
The OBM only sorts out numbers, it doesn't make up the budget.
The President only proposes what he thinks might be a good budget,
Congress doesn't have to accept it {and rarely does}. The
Congress can override the veto, and does on occasion. The
budgets from Congress, at least over the past twenty years, have
almost always exceeded the amount requested by the President.
Public pressure is nearly always in favor of a larger budget
(special interest groups never seem to ask for less). Check
the differences between what the original budgets proposed and
what finally was signed. It can boggle the mind.
Fiscal responsibility has not been one of Congresses strong
points over the past 40 years.mckay@princeton.UUCP (Dwight McKay) (12/01/83)
I quote Erik Fair: > "And it is under the pressure of *public support* for the President > that such a budget is passed." (asterisks mine) Oho! As Walt Kelly said, "We have met the enemy and he is us." It seems to me that Reagan made it pretty clear during the presidential campaign what the basic nature of his budget was going to be. The majority of the people voted for him (no mini-lectures about the electoral college, please; the preceding statement is still true). Those of you who voted against him may at least legitimately disagree and complain publicly, though of course you must also live with the fact that in the U.S., you have to go with the majority decision. Those of you who had the right to vote but did not, and still write complaints about the budget to the net -- pardon me, but you are not very responsible citizens. Mary Virginia Taylor (allegra,ulysses)!princeton!mckay