Division of Powers
Constitutionally, it is the right and responsibility of Congress to be the steward of government finances, and not the Executive Branch. Congress thus has the "trump" card when it comes to the budget.
However, nearly all the money spent is spent by the agencies headed by the Presidents' cabinet. So it has become a function of the Executive Branch to submit the annual budget to the Congress. Most of the money submitted by the Executive branch survives, unless some items rise to attention.
Actually PAYING for the (mostly President's) budget becomes the problem of Congress, particularly the Ways and Means Committee. Congress adds more money to the budget based on their own wishes and special interests, and will not hesitate to add a provision or requirement to legislation especially if they know it is on track to becoming law.
Thus you hear all the talk about the president having "line item veto" power, and this has popular appeal, especially when Congress adds a bunch of pork barrel stuff for the special interests. But it is unconstitutional, as it stands right now. The President, however, DOES have the power of line item veto to his own budget prior to submitting it to Congress.
It is very typical for Presidents to blame Congress for these huge deficits, since this is constitutionally the province of Congress. However, none of these same presidents seem to ever submit a balanced budget. There's enough blame to go around.
Constitutionally, it is the right and responsibility of Congress to be the steward of government finances, and not the Executive Branch. Congress thus has the "trump" card when it comes to the budget.
However, nearly all the money spent is spent by the agencies headed by the Presidents' cabinet. So it has become a function of the Executive Branch to submit the annual budget to the Congress. Most of the money submitted by the Executive branch survives, unless some items rise to attention.
Actually PAYING for the (mostly President's) budget becomes the problem of Congress, particularly the Ways and Means Committee. Congress adds more money to the budget based on their own wishes and special interests, and will not hesitate to add a provision or requirement to legislation especially if they know it is on track to becoming law.
Thus you hear all the talk about the president having "line item veto" power, and this has popular appeal, especially when Congress adds a bunch of pork barrel stuff for the special interests. But it is unconstitutional, as it stands right now. The President, however, DOES have the power of line item veto to his own budget prior to submitting it to Congress.
It is very typical for Presidents to blame Congress for these huge deficits, since this is constitutionally the province of Congress. However, none of these same presidents seem to ever submit a balanced budget. There's enough blame to go around.
I discovered the "bush tax credit" because someone asked me about it and wanted to know why they hadn't gotten their check yet. Never mind the fact it hadn't even been sent to congress at that point... 
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