An exchange with the President's Chief of Staff Andy Card, from yesterday's press briefing...
Q: Why not? I'm sure this was considered -- why not give him this power, then he would have even more power to set the agenda, wouldn't he?SECRETARY CARD: I think that this person will have tremendous influence over setting the agenda. The agenda will be set by the President, and the budget will be set by the President. And that's where it should rest appropriately. And we will send a budget to Congress for them to consider. It would be great if Congress took our budgets and always passed them as we submitted them, but we know that they have a process, as well, and that's why we'd like to see them reform as we make reforms.
Lest you forget, the infallible is in charge. And lately, the Congressional budgetary process consists of taking the Preident's recommendations, giving the necessary “Yessir!,” and promptly adding the fattest pork we’ve seen in years. Silly Andy, you really can’t be serious, can you? And you know when he talks about reforms, Card means “letting the President get away with whatever the hell he pleases.”