Whenever Washington bureaucrats get together and submit their proposals for an increase in funding, there is no shortage of new programs. It’s best to keep in mind though, that what Ronald Reagan said about babies and governments is true. They both are long canals with big appetites on one end and little responsibility on the other end.

Last week, the Administration submitted its budget for 2009 to Congress. It is the nation’s first-ever 3 Trillion dollar budget. In a budget that size, there has to be waste, fraud and abuse.

The Administration’s budget says that on the current course of spending the budget will be in balance by 2012. However, I think that is too late. We need to balance the budget now.

That requires tough choices on spending programs. It is difficult because many programs are supported by special interests and are protected by bureaucrats all over Washington. However, we were sent there to take care of the people’s money, not to simply go along to get along.

I support the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. H.J. Resolution 1 would require our federal budget to be in balance unless three-fifths of the House disagrees. The most solemn obligation we have to taxpayers is to be responsible with their money. States like Missouri are able to balance their budget and the federal government can too.

Missourians don’t spend money that they don’t have and Washington shouldn’t either. In the meantime, I will work to find programs and dollars in this budget that waste taxpayer’s money and remove them.

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