Trump, Musk are trying to implement zero-based budgeting

For decades Congress has used incremental budgeting. That has contributed to annual deficits and the huge public debt.

Historically, when determining how much the federal government is spending annually, a process known as incremental budgeting has been used. This means that the next year’s budget is based on a certain incremental increase above the current year’s budget. This technique is at least partially responsible for the current $36 trillion public debt.

For as long as most of us can remember, Congress proposed an annual spending budget based on an increase from the prior year, often by 3% to 5% or more.

When the public responded negatively to the resulting large spending increase, Congress would simply say they would cut the budget. That meant instead of a 5% increase, Congress would cut the increase to 2%. Then they would claim they cut the budget.

This incremental budgeting process often encouraged government agencies to spend all budgeted funds before the end of the current year. Otherwise, they reasoned, next year’s spending would be reduced. This contributed to excess spending, large annual deficits, and eventually the huge public debt we have today.

President Trump through his appointed budget czar Elon Musk, is very serious about…