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From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: economy
Message-ID: <885@opus.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 11-Oct-84 20:58:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.885
Posted: Thu Oct 11 20:58:34 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Oct-84 04:01:43 EDT
References: <855@ihuxe.UUCP>, <847@opus.UUCP> <1014@pyuxa.UUCP>
Organization: NBI,Inc, Boulder CO
Lines: 52

[T.C. Wheeler]
> ...The only
> money the administration is allowed to spend is that which is
> authorized by congress, right??
Fine, so far...

> ...Now, who is in control of
> Congress, the Dems, right?  What group in our government
> added billions to the budget for their own little pork
> barrels?  I'll give you onee hint, it starts with a D.

Stupid conclusion.  If you think that the Democrats are "in control" of
Congress, you've got a third-grader's understanding of how politics works.
What you mean to say is that if a vote in Congress splits along strict
party lines, with no backroom deals and nobody crossing party lines, then
it will go with the Democrats.  That's true but irrelevant.

Republicans are every bit as good at prok-barrel legislation as Dems.  The
answer to the pork-barrel question starts with a C--it's Congress, more
commonly the H of R since they initiate the money bills AND have to worry
about getting reelected three times as often as the Senators.  Anyway, the
Dems are bigger on entitlement and of late the Republicans are all hot on
pork a la defense.

> Damnit Dunn,  Congress is the one to blame for most of
> the spending, be it Republican or Democrat.  The
> administration only submits what it thinks it will
> need to spend for the next budget term.  Congress can
> accept or reject any figure in that request.

This is pure bullshit.  The administration can (and periodically does)
strongarm Congress by threatening a veto of an unacceptable budget bill.
(It was happening this week.)  What happens, of course, is that Congress
risks not getting the budget approved in time for the new year--so either
they go along with administration demands or get egg on their faces while
the government payroll and whatever else grinds to a halt.

Also please keep in mind that Congress approves a budget; it DOES NOT spend
the money.  In many cases the President has quite a bit of discretion over
whether the money actually gets spent (subject of a few legislative/execu-
tive battles in recent years).

> ...  I sure wish all of you bozos who keep mouthing
> the Tip O'neil party line would bother to find out how
> the government pays its bills.

I sure wish all you bozos who keep mouthing the Teflon President's "not my
fault" line would bother to find out the realities of government
expenditures.
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...Relax...don't worry...have a homebrew.