The Nation : Reagan Calls Budget Process Real Villain

President Reagan said the nation’s deficit could be “ancient history in no time” if the President had more power over the budget process. Reagan, who pledged in his weekly radio address to work on reforming the process after he leaves office next month, again blamed Congress for the nation’s deficit-spending habits. “Every dime of deficit spending has been mandated by Congress,” Reagan said. In the 1988 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, the nation recorded a $155.1-billion deficit. Under the Gramm-Rudman budget-balancing law, a $100-billion deficit target has been set for the 1990 fiscal year. Reagan did not mention his successor, President-elect George Bush, but he did argue that the nation’s deficit can be solved without raising taxes, a pledge Bush made in his campaign. The President repeated his call for authority to veto individual items in appropriations bills, a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget and authority not to spend money Congress has appropriated.