I’m Restraining Spending, But…

Like most politicians, President Bush is addicted to new spending initiatives. His budget message is always: "We need to restrain spending — except for all the exciting new investments and programs enhancements I want."

It's more of the same in the president's new 2008 federal budget. The president wants to get credit for proposing to balance the budget four years after he has left office, yet here is some of the language from the budget's "Overview":

• "Increased funding to combat terrorism and protect the homeland..."
• "Enhanced diplomatic efforts ... with additional resources..."
• "Increase funding for nuclear detection, more secure borders..."
• "American Competitiveness Initiative to increase federal investment..."
• "Significant new resources" for No Child Left Behind, including "more funding to high schools..."
• "Increases [in] the Pell Grant maximum award..."
• "Increases [in] Academic Competitiveness Grants..."
• "Advanced Energy Initiative" to improve energy reliability and increase the use of alternative fuels...

The Budget Overview does provide some details on proposed spending restraint: "In the Budget, each program was closely reviewed to determine if it is among the Nation's top priorities.... [F]ailure to meet these criteria resulted in proposed termination or reduction of 141 programs for a savings of $12 billion."

Total federal outlays in 2007 will be $2.784 trillion. Thus, programs that are "top priorities" of the Bush administration account for 99.6 percent of all spending.

Will we ever get a president who wants to make serious cuts and doesn't have a lengthy spending wish list to send to Congress?