[afraidfortherepublic]

THe president can propose bills and he can veto bills be must shoulder some of the responciblity for the runaway spending.

The President CAN NOT propose bills. And he can NOT veto sections of Bills. Congress writes the Bills and then loads them up with all kinds of extraneous expenses. If the President wants his budget for the Armed Forces, for instance, he frequently has to accept pork (a la bridges and roads and buildings named for Sen. Byrd of W. VA). Since all of the Senators and Congressmen like to bring home the bacon for their own districts the appropriations quickly fly out of control.

Did you see the President's request last week asking Congress to freeze all expenditures at 1%-2% over last year for everything, except National Defense? That's a good start, if Congress will go along with it. They won't, however, and the President can do nothing about it without a line item veto.

[MEG33]

i did hear Bush has had a heart to heart with some Republican leaders about the budget and discretionary spending cap.They promised to be better boys and girls.

[RiflemanSharpe]

I disagree. Bush could and should veto bills with pork and then make congress trim them down if they do not want a veto. With the increases in defense and national security spending that has to happen due to the war we need to make deep cut whereever we can to balance th budget. It is time to get tough.