There are some basic criteria by which we should measure the President’s budget, just as we will judge the budget put forth by the Democratic majority next month. Any budget, to be effective, needs to address the unsustainable growth of entitlement spending, which is the single biggest factor contributing to the long-term fiscal crisis we face. A budget also needs to honestly address the numbers contributing to its bottom line, such as fully funding the expected costs of the war on terror.  Lastly, a congressional budget should not include gamesmanship and gimmicks like we saw last year, such as using reconciliation as a vehicle to spend billions of taxpayers’ dollars on Washington programs.

I am hopeful that we’ll see an improved congressional budget resolution from the majority this year. It should take steps to address entitlements, keep non-defense discretionary spending at reasonable levels, maintain pro-growth tax policies and offer an honest and transparent picture of what the government will spend and how.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 4th, 2008 at 11:14 am and is filed under Economy/Budget, Politics .