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Originally Posted by Danzig
and no, it hasn't passed as yet-but his simply asking for it belies your posts.
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The budget process (pretty ugly) in this country doesn't change with the President. What numbers you get varies depending upon what you include (assume things will be renewed, go out 10 years, assume tax cuts will be maintained, etc). And the numbers can vary in a huge way, as they are all speculation about the short and long-term future based upon multiple variables.
Four years ago, who predicted 2008?
All Presidents ask for things, all have their pet programs, the vast majority of stuff in these omnibus bills however is hooked-on pork from our Congress for their individual districts, and yes, the President can redline it out, Congress can fight it out and take it out, etc.
Obama campaigned on zero-based budgeting. Bush was the antithesis of that, he spent and spent without any plan at all to pay (which put us in this huge hole to start with), without finding the money to pay for what he wanted anywhere.
We'll see if Obama holds to his campaign promise, or not.
No President can be denied implementing his programs (we never have historically) just because there is a current budget deficit when he took office. That's why we elect them - to do certain things. They DO have the responsibility to pay for their personal programs, and to keep the general operating budget reasonable.
BTW, when looking historically at the last 40 years, the Democrats do this beautifully, and the Republicans have not. The Democrats have nearly always left the country owing less at the end of their terms, and the Republicans have not.