‘Chuckling in the Graveyard’
The Times is to be congratulated for again reminding its readers that the President is the country’s foremost defender of the American family budget (“Chuckling in the Graveyard,” Editorial, July 8). But other elements of The Times’ reasoning do not square with the facts.
In a familiar refrain, The Times chides President Reagan for not submitting a balanced budget. This ignores the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction law designed to place the federal government on a steady glide path toward a balanced budget. Regrettably, the Democrat-controlled 100th Congress is ignoring the anti-deficit law as well.
The Times’ applause for the tax-and-spend policies of the Democratic Congress is undeserved. Earlier this year, the President sent to the Congress a budget that meets the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit targets without increasing taxes and without slashing defense. The 100th Congress ignored this responsible budget and last month--more than two months behind schedule--passed a budget resolution which misses the deficit target and actually increases domestic spending.
There is an answer to this recurring nightmare of federal budget deficits. On July 3, the President unveiled his “Economic Bill of Rights” which includes a Balanced Budget Amendment, a line-item veto and important budget reforms.
GARY L. BAUER
Assistant to the President for Policy Development
Washington, D.C.
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