-By Vince Johnson
Dear Candidate for President of the United States: (Either party)
Last week you announced that your next conference would be held near Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home at Hyde Park, New York. You also said this location was a clue regarding your plan that would bring Congressional borrowing under control. Without fanfare and hoopla you make another brief speech:
“We are close to Hyde Park to remind everyone that strong leaders of the past have not been afraid to veto bills loaded with wasteful or unnecessary spending. This practice must be re-established by the next president. Franklin D. Roosevelt was famous for frequent use of his power to veto bills passed by Congress. During his twelve years in office he vetoed 635 bills. This averages to 53 per year. In comparison, Bush has vetoed 5 bills during his first 7 years and Clinton vetoed 37 bills in 8 years. This means that, on average, Roosevelt vetoed 53 bills per year, Clinton vetoed 4.6 per year and Bush vetoed less than one a year!
Some may not understand how your veto will bring Congressional borrowing under control. Explain in very specific terms:
“Here’s how a resolute veto strategy can work. Example: The president is receives a bill extending the Medicare Program through the fiscal year. The bill includes an item allowing a grant of no less than $2,290,000 for the International Fertilizer Development Center located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The entire bill would be vetoed immediately.
“Congress uses this tactic to force the President to sign a bill funding a program of insignificant value compared to Medicare, education or reducing the national debt. If the bill is vetoed, Congress can over-ride the veto or remove the wasteful item and send it back to the President. In each instance where Congress over-rides the veto, I would immediately call for a press conference and explain the situation.
“This bill was vetoed because it contained a grant exceeding $2 million dollars for the International Fertilizer Development Center located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Congress has over-ruled my veto and history will now record that this Congress held the International Fertilizer Development Center as more important than education, or veteran’s care, or reducing the Public Debt.
“For decades now, government waste has been blamed upon the Presidents and their administrations. The real culprit is, and always has been Congress who has total control over all spending. President Truman had a sign on his desk that said ‘THE BUCK STOPS HERE.’ That sign was wrong. A presidential veto is only a recommendation. The buck stops with Congress who either accepts my veto or over-rides it.
“I call it the 99¢ syndrome. If the price is $2.99, the first thought is of $2 dollars, not $3. When the bill is for wasted money, the blame is focused upon the President who signed it, not the Congress who wrote it, passed it and in some cases over-ruled a veto. Congress has been using the presidency as a scapegoat for unreasonable legislation for decades. The time to correct this deceptive practice is long overdue.”
Remind them that using the power of veto is neither revolutionary nor radical: “Do not forget that FDR vetoed 635 bills over a 12 year period. Many historians believe he sought out bills to veto as a means to prod Congress into being more thoughtful and judicious in their legislative activities. If I’m elected, you can count on one thing: I would revitalize FDR’s ‘veto’ tradition with prudence and conviction.
“I also want to revive FDR’s tradition of ‘Fireside Chats.’ I would set up a monthly schedule of informal reports to America. The government has become a virtual secret society, and that must change. In all likelihood, terrorists and foreign intelligence have more details about American activities than an average TV news anchor. An enlightened public is stronger than a public kept in the dark. It is time to get things out in the open.”
After taking questions you should announce that your next conference be at Jamestown, Virginia where you will discuss a huge change in our foreign policy.
____________
Vince Johnson welcomes comments. Please send them to,Vince Johnson(vjadtrak@wvi.com)
See Vince in the new book Americans on Politics. Policy, and Pop-Culture.