Show Local and National Welfare In the long run people individually or as part of society get just about what they put out If U in the majority they are responsible towards their jobs and communities then they can expect good products and services and a generl general general gen gen- eral erl state tate of order in society t IF TOO many people shortcut the law and look for a full days day's pay for fora a half halt days day's work then there is little that can be done through legislation to end inflation to protect the consumer in the marketplace or through law enforcement enforcement en en- to make people respect the rights of others other Government does not have bave the godlike godlike godlike god god- like ability or the financial resources to deliver personal integrity and the good goodlie life lie to us us on a silver sUver platter and there isn't anything that the Democrats or Republicans I the Congress or the President President Pres Pres- ident of the the United States can do do to to change I that fact With the immense prestige of his overwhelming overwhelming over over- whelming election victory and the Vietnam Vietnam Viet Viet- nam plus the fact that he does not face another Presidential election elec tion Non President Nixon has baa apparently set set setout out to lead led what he believes to be majority majority ma ma- public opinion in a massive turn toward personal responsibility and away from the welfare state philosophy which has bas dominated American political development development de de- de for the past 40 years To lo start this turn the President seeks to hold spending levels below billion bil bU lion for the current fiscal year ending June 30 30 1973 In presenting his budget to the American people the President said sald it is time to get big government off your jour back and out of your pocket He pointed out that without the spending cuts which he has proposed 1975 1915 expenditures expenditures ex ex- ex would rise to approximately billion leading to a a huge in- in in deficit The IThe Presidents President's budgetary projections projection envision a gradually declining federal deficit from the nearly 25 billion projected pro pro- for lor fiscal 1973 to a state of near balance by June 30 30 1975 For the first time solid figures have been presented indicating that the federal budget can be managed in such a way as to avoid the necessity of a tax increase and still meet the necessary obligations of the federal government The battle lines will be drawn over the question of just what really reaDy constitutes constitutes con con- the necessary obligations of the federal government The major division div ision Islon of opinion will willbe be over the question of spending for lor such things as defense and aerospace development versus spending spending spending spen spen- ding for various arious social welfare pro pro- grams The Wall Street Journal points out that that thata a a number of Great Society symbols symbols symbols sym bols are on the chopping block Including including including in In- Model Cities tion programs various local-action local agencies agencies ag ago ag- ag set up under the war on poverty pov poverty pov- pov erty mental health clinics and others that have not in the opinion of many proved effective Also a number of President Pres Pres- President ident Nixons Nixon's own plans it is pointed out including welfare reform property tax relief and parts of of sharing revenue-sharing are also to be eliminated or cut As The Wall Street Journal sums it up The budget outlines a less do-less formula for mula for the federal government fewer fewer few er programs fewer bureaucrats no new or higher taxes and strict limits on future spending that allow precious littie little lit lit- tie tle room for any big legislative Initiatives initiatives initia Initia- tives by either Congress or the admin admin- In all this it should be remembered that the budget is still increasing atthe atthe at atthe the rate of 75 percent if the Presidents prescription of billion this year and 2687 2087 billion for 1974 is followed The average increase for the past 12 years has bas been 81 91 percent That's a good deal more than the economy grows each year No one is really talking about austerity merely about a degree of ol control that will a tolerable level governments government's governments government's governments govern govern- ments ment's ability to meet its As The Wall Street Journal put it it fundamental habits and thought patterns pat pat- terns will wUl keep federal spending out of hand until they are battle bat tle tie along the present line simply cannot end in victory for discipline Those habits and thought patterns like the good life cannot be delivered to us on ona ona ona a silver slIver platter and the victory if it is to be won will not be won in Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington DC D.C. It will be decided by the American people on the basis of 01 whether ther then they want to shape their own future future fu ture in freedom or let it happen to them by the under the direction of a federal bureaucracy |