Chat with Chic, undated

CHAT WITH CHIC COLUMN DURING MY RECENT "CHAT WITH CHIC" TOUR ACROSS NEVADA, ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CONCERNED THE LINE ITEM VETO. CAN THE PRESIDENT HELP CONTROL WASTEFUL GOVERNMENT SPENDING BY VETOING SPECIFIC ITEMS OR PROVISIONS IN A BILL RATHER THAN HAVING TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THE ENTIRE BILL? AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE ANSWER IS NO. ALTHOUGH 43 STATES, INCLUDING PRESIDENT REAGAN'S HOME STATE OF CALIFORNIA, NOW HAVE THE ITEM VETO, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT. IN FACT, THE CONCEPT WAS INTRODUCED IN FEDERAL LEGISLATION J N B L 1876 AND EXPERTS ARE STILL /f rr ARGUING ABOUT WHETHER IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY STATUTE OR WOULD REQUIRE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. AS WE SEARCH FOR AVENUES TO REDUCE THE BUDGET DEFICIT, CONGRESS HAS WEIGHED A NUMBER OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS PROPOSING VARIOUS KINDS OF ITEM VETO PROVISIONS, MOST OF THEM CONSTITUTIONAL. AS RECENTLY AS MAY 3RD, THE SENATE VOTED 56 TO 34 THAT IT WOULD BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL FOR CONGRESS TO GRANT THE PRESIDENT LINE ITEM VETO BY STATUTE. The ITEM VETO MAY WELL BE A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF ACHIEVING A BALANCED BUDGET THA|J THE PROPOSED BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH HAS YET TO BE APPROVED BY THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF STATES. EVEN THOUGH LARGE PORTIONS OF THE BUDGET WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE VETO, THE PRESIDENT COULD ACHIEVE SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS WHEN SMALL AMOUNTS OF FEDERAL SPENDING ARE ELIMINATED - - AND SAVINGS WOULD MULTIPLY WHEN PROJECTED OVER MANY YEARS. (MORE) PAGE 2. OPPONENTS COMPLAIN THAT THE ITEM VETO WOULD INCREASE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH'S POWER OVER FISCAL MATTERS TOO MUCH. THEY CONTEND THAT DEFICITS WOULD NOT BE REDUCED QUICKLY OR SUBSTANTIALLY ENOUGH TO HELP THE CURRENT SITUATION. THESE ARE THE SAME BIG-SPENDERS WHO BELIEVE THE PATH TO A BALANCED BUDGET SHOULD BE BUILT ON TAX INCREASES. I WOULD PREFER INSTEAD, TO BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF THE BIG SPENDERS! THE ITEM VETO CONCEPT SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE HERE IN WASHINGTON. I T ' S BEEN AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR HOLDING BACK EXCESSIVE SPENDING AT THE STATE LEVEL. CONGRESS WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER EACH PROJECT AND PROGRAM IN LIGHT OF POSSIBLE WHITE HOUSE REJECTION, WHICH WOULD MAKE US ALL CAREFUL TO JUSTIFY EVERY SINGLE EXPENDITURE. IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT CONGRESS WILL APPROVE ANY TYPE OF LINE ITEM VETO THIS SESSION. HOWEVER, I T ' S A GOOD IDEA AND ONE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL SOON DEMAND.