Demanding a federal budget that is fair, responsible, and meets our nation's priorities

Thursday, March 23, 2006

USA Today Pans President's Line-Item Proposal

USA Today's lead editorial today sharply criticizes supporters of the president's latest power grab - an line-item veto (or enchanced rescission power) proposal currently turning some heads in Congress. The editors make very good arguments, particularly the fact that this proposal would actually distract attention from the major issues at play with the errosion of our country's fiscal health, not help to make our government more fiscally responsible.

While the editors correctly point out the president has not vetoed any legislation in his time in office, they failed to mention that the president already has the power he is currently pushing to have granted to him - under the Impoundment and Control Act of 1974. Despite having this power, Bush has yet to prepare and request of Congress one, single rescission as president. He is the first president since it was created in 1974 not to use this power of the office.

Perhaps the president should focus more on using the tools currently in his toolbox before trying to spend a lot of money on a upgraded model that has questionable benefits. Talk about wasting resources.