Democrats, GOP both deficit spend

Mr. Martin's letter (Fence Post, Wednesday) contains a misunderstandingˆ  about the functions of the executive and legislative branches of the government.

The president (executive branch) proposes but Congress(legislative branch) disposes, i.e., spends the money it has appropriated.

Congress appropriates money with taxes and by law every spending bill must originate in the House of Representatives, specifically in the House Ways and Means Committee

And no, deficit spending didn't originate with Ronald Reagan. The Democrats have been deficit funding since 1956.

They never had a surplus and in fact, the only surplus we have had in the last 60 years occurred when Newt Gingrich coerced the Republican House in 1994 to ignore President Clinton's deficit finances and stop appropriating a bloated budget.

Unfortunately, that didn't last very long and the Republicans quickly went back to the Democrats method of spending more than they take in.

I can agree with you that some day everyone will pay for this folly, but no political party is without guilt, save the Libertarians who have never held public office.

Bob Lowth

Arlington Heights