[MNJohnnie]

he wouldn't bring that agenda to the presidency, and in any case, he would be checked by congress in the blink of an eye."

You mean just like Bush was on the budget

You got that backwards Sofa. Civics lesson 101 yet again. Congress passes the budget. Congress has added billions to every single one Bush purposed. Bush's problem is he was trying to hard to get along and did not veto any of them.

[Sofa King]

Bush has the been the source for many an expensive budget proposal (like his senior drugs plan), and I didn't seen congress doing anything to shoot them down.

Regardless of what body actually puts the budget together, the President has a great influence over it, and has been the all-around ringleader for spending for the last 5 years.