Cardenas on Gifted programs
EDITORIAL BOARD
John Harp
Ed De La Garza
Jason Caesar Consolacion Jim Parsons
Money's free
On Monday, President Clinton submitted a $1.84 trillion budget to Congress. The president asked for billions more in an effort to insure a legacy beyond Monica Lewinsky, Whitewater and Paula Jones.
Saying "this budget makes really strong and significant steps toward achieving the great goals that I believe America should pursue in this new century," the president outlined plans for a new direction.
It's a bold, new era for the country. Money for everyone. More money for schools. More money to protect the environment. More money for law enforcement. More money for the Head Start program.
Take more money away from tobacco companies. Fine companies $3,000 for every smoker under 18 -- don't worry about how that'll be monitored.
While the president was busy imagining future history books, Republicans were busy decrying Clinton's budget as a pipe dream, and promising to ignore his proposed tax increases.
The budget was seen by many GOP leaders as Clinton's way of pushing Vice President Al Gore's agenda -- months before the election.
In reality, the budget says all the right things about where surplus money should go. It's very politically correct. It also reinforces programs and ideals the once-promising president pushed earlier in his presidency -- back when he represented all the hopes of an entire generation.
In truth, the president's budget proposal hasn't a snowball's chance in a Houston winter of passing. The Republican-led Congress won't allow it. They've been shown up by Clinton too many times to ever let him win again.
But one has doubts the president ever thought it had a chance to begin with.
It's about policy and perception. Throughout his presidency, Clinton has made himself the victim of the unrelenting GOP.
Republicans won't let him do what needs to be done for America. They won't let petty disagreements slide in the name of the greater good. They won't forget improper conduct. They won't forget that whole impeachment thing.
If the public perceives these programs to be worthwhile, it'll see the Republicans as big, bad wolves. Job well done.
It's also -- as GOP leaders suggested -- an attempt to get the vice-president's message out to the public. Job well done.
But beyond that, it's just an empty promise. Well done.
