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11 Tax Foundation's Washington News 1 (1959)

handle is hein.tera/wingnews0013 and id is 1 raw text is: January 2, 1959 Vol. No. - 920 Washington Building Washington 5, D. C. The first session of the 86th Congress will convene here next '4ednes- day facing many controversies. But the one issue which seems certain to command even more of the spotlight than usual will be this year's battle of the budget. The President insured that this would be the major contro- versy in 1959 when he jumped the gun and announced two days before Christ- mas that he would present a balanced budget for fiscal 1960, in the neighbor- hood of $77 billion. The reaction to that announcement has followed an interesting pattern. There was praise, of course, from Administration supporters, and Senator Byrd (D-Va.) said he would support the effort, though. wanting to see the budget details. In general, however, the initial reactions were punctuated with howls of anguish. The new budget--before the details were even known-- was denounced as both inflationary and ndeflationary, as unrealistic, cheapskate, a gimmick, and as political, among other things. Whether or not a political effect was intended the PresidentIs announce- ment has had an impact, and with the passing days the attacks on the budget have noticeably quieted down. The grDwing public concern over inflationary dangers, and the unwillingness of politicians to be charged with fiscal ir- responsibility with the 1960 Presidential elections looming ahead, have been given by many observers as the reasons for the quieting down of the budget attacks. In deciding upon this early budget announcement the Administration may have put the spenders on the defensive. This does not suggest, however, that the pressures for increased spend- ing will not be great as the new Congress settles down to business. Every day brings announcements of plans to push quickly for some new or expanded Federal program. School aid advocates are planning early consideration of their proposals (see page 2); Federal aid airport and depressed area aid bills, vetoed by the President last year, are expected to be among the first orders of business; a huge new housing measure is already being discussed, etc. Efforts to increase spending levels proposed in the budget are certain t, come, and this, plus a Congress' unwillingness to go along with certain economy proposals expected to be included in the budget document could help defeat the President's balanced budget objective. In any event, the Chidf Executive by his early announcement has set the stage for what may become one of the sharpest budget battles of recefnt years. The result will depend--as usual--upon the response of the people back home, whose voice, in the next two years, will be listened to with even greater than usual interest.

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