TAXPAYERS MUST CARRY THEIR ANGER TO CONGRESS

Americans are credited with a great many things but let us accord them some blame; they have short memories. And if those who ignore history are destined to repeat it, taxpayers of this country may be in for more congressional budget shenanigans in 1991. The citizen anger inflamed by this year's fiscal fiasco should be recalled for lawmakers when they convene in Washington next month. Some changes must be made in the way the federal budget is addressed.

This drum has been beating for so long that it has taken on the unheeded tone of background noise. That must not happen. If the nation's horrendous budgetary problems are to be solved, Congress must make itself accountable for the situation. Since lawmakers are not apt to do that without a continuing reminder, taxpayers must take their proper place as part of the process; those who are footing the bills for the budgetary chaos should remain vigilant in pushing for a resolution.

How is that done? Congressman Bill Emerson of Cape Girardeau has proposed some reasonable steps; trouble is, he has proposed them for a number of years and had no success in moving them to implementation. Maybe the mood will improve in pursuing these goals.

Given current circumstances, we agree with Emerson that Congress should operate on a two-year budget cycle, one that would allow lawmakers greater opportunity for oversight of federal expenditures. (We concede, however, that the timing of budgetary deliberations is not as important and addressing the issues properly when facing them. A White House/congressional budget summit began last April, weighed its alternatives through the fall and produced one of the most ill-conceived fiscal documents imaginable.)

The president should have line-item veto authority, one that would allow the chief executive a check on fiscal irresponsibility on Capitol Hill. This is the same authority states grant to most of the nation's governors. Further, a balanced budget amendment is necessary; this provision is contained in most state constitutions and it seems illogical not to have it as part of the federal government.

Disenchantment has come easily when considering congressional budget dealings. The time has come for that to stop; the anger directed at lawmakers last fall should carry over into the 1991 session. Taxpayers should remind Congress who is paying for the budgetary mistakes.