Budgets are a matter for the house. We include the President at our convenience, not his.
The media are not the decision makers in all things Political, Military and Economic. But, while they had their monopoly on the news, they were able to spin it, making themselves a force that mattered, and thus were able to compel politicians to act counter to their own good judgment. Times have changed, and politicians are not only better informed, they have more protection from media harpies. The media are saddened, like the madam of a famous brothel that is soon to close.