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Who Really Taxes & Spends?

Isn't it a stretch to blame the President, no matter which one, for taxing and spending. He's not to blame. Let's get the responsibility in the right place and forget all of this political posturing. Every politician is pointing fingers at the Presidents - and they are all wrong.

The 1st clause of Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution reads thus: ALL REVENUE SHALL ORIGINATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, BUT THE SENATE MAY PROPOSE OR CONCUR WITH AMENDMENTS AS ON OTHER BILLS.

  • The HOUSE has the exclusive responsibility to originate bills to appropriate money and raise revenues.
  • The PRESIDENT is permitted to propose tax and spending measures - or veto them.
  • The CONGRESS can ignore the President's proposals and override his vetoes.

It's a simple as that. Why do so many in politics or the media get away with statements like "Reagan's budget deficits," "Clinton's budget surpluses," "Bushe's tax cuts," and "Obama's spending binge."  These statements are either ignorance, willful deception, sloppy thinking, or plain stupidity. The real truth is that WASHINGTON has been on a spending rampage for decades no matter who occupied the White House. In 1970 all federal spending totaled $926 billion. In 2012 it totals almost $4 trillion.

Now let's reconsider OBAMACARE (for example). Most members of the Republican controlled House of Representatives say they are against OBAMACARE. If they really were, they would attach a rider to legislation or some other device to the Department oif Health and Human Services appropriation bill to ban spending ANY money on OBAMACARE. They have the power to do so. Continuing the pretense that it is the President who is controlling the spending may be politically advantageous - BUT IT IS WRONG.

Is this one more indication that our two party political system is broken?


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