Hallelujah

Ever now and then it is possible to find a shred of truth in the MSM. The only problem is that the truth is so often hidden and twisted that it gets missed. Today’s Wilmington News Journal features this headline Biden: 'We're going to get hit very hard' and predictably it goes on to lament on how Dubya’s budget cuts are going to steal food out of staving children’s mouths (OK, maybe I’m exaggerating). Anyway – back to my point. In the middle of the article lies this little gem (emphasis mine):

Many of the projects Bush is targeting have been targeted before and survived, including Amtrak. The president can propose a budget outline, but only Congress can spend the government's money, and in the past Congress has restored funding for programs that presidents have tried to kill.

OK – did you catch that part I thoughtfully highlighted above? Can I get an Amen from anyone? Anyone? Yeah, brother, Hallalujah to you too. (We can argue the point of “the government's money” too – it’s not, it’s OUR money, but I’ll let that slide for sake of argument right now). That simple little line – “only Congress can spend the government's money” is something any 6th grade social studies student really should know already, but it has been largely lost on the American public. Well, OK, maybe only on the leftward leaning part of the American public. Those on the side that remember Ronald Reagan as this counties biggest deficit spender. Those that think Reaganomics was a mistake. Those same people who don’t remember the state of our economy that President Reagan inherited. And the same ones who think our prosperity in the 90’s was due to President Clintons economy planning.

Which party had majority control of Congress while Reagan was in office? Hmmmm? And WHO spent the money? And who had majority control of Congress during (the last 6 years) of President Clintons tenure?