by Gary R. Evans , published by Academic Press, Inc, May 1997, Hard cover ISBN: 0-12-244079-X, Paperback ISBN: 0-12-244080-3. For ordering and pricing information contact Academic Press.

General Description

This descriptive, nonpartisan, and ideologically neutral approach to the budget of the U.S. Government provides a clear and detailed explanation of the intricacies of the budget, its history, and the political activities that create it. Red Ink offers a complete guide to the federal government's budget, its deficit, and its debt. Clear and practical discussions of taxes, entitlements, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, agricultural subsidies, trust funds, budget enforcement, and the politics of the deficit and deficit-reduction are all included. The book concludes with a balanced economic overview and useful policy suggestions.

This is the first book to offer a complete survey from the history of the deficit to modern budget enforcement. It discusses topical issues, such as welfare and Medicare reform, and the controversies of the future, including the projected depletion of the Social Security trust funds. The actual line-item budget, including tax sources, is presented in detail to demonstrate where federal money is spent and where it is coming from. The book traces how spending and tax bills originate and follows them as they make their way through a maze of Congressional procedures, regulations, and protocols. Also included is a review of contemporary BEA budget enforcement, a discussion of the roles played the President, the Congress, the OMB and the CBO, the budgetary timetable, and the attempted budgetary revolution of the 104th Congress.

Who should read Red Ink?

This book is ideal for use by students of government, political science, public finance, and macroeconomics. It is suitable for both undergraduate or graduate courses - the author has used the core material very successfully at both levels. In addition to students, however, the book is generally useful to anyone interested in one of the most important political and economic controversies of the modern era. Red Ink is written at a level understandable to any college student or reader with a college education, regardless of background otherwise.

Key Features

• Includes over 150 tables and illustrations
• Features an extensive glossary of budget terms
• Provides a practical "nuts and bolts" perspective on the federal budget
• Includes a lengthly annotated reading list for further research
• Difficult and technical materials are placed in Appendices.
• Uses this WWW link for budget updates and new data

Contents

To see more detailed information, take a look at the Table of Contents.