Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the current budgetary process. In your opinion, do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, or do you see a need for reform in the budgetary process?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer:
An ideal response will:
1. Briefly outline the current budgetary process, which begins with the executive branch and then moves through Congress and which takes almost two full years.
2. List the advantages of the current process, which include: process entails executive and congressional branches of government and therefore includes checks and balances; incremental budgeting helps reduce political conflicts and maintain stability because if the president or Congress had to review all expenditures, it would overload the system; nonprogrammatic budgeting allows for easier agreement.
3. Describe the disadvantages of the current process, which may include: lengthy time needed to prepare and pass the budget; need for obligational authority; government often begins new fiscal year without a budget; need for a continuing resolution; entire federal government would be shut down if Congress does not issue appropriations acts or a continuing resolution; incremental budgeting typically only increases a budget instead of examining value of existing expenditures; programmatic nature of budgeting often obscures policy decisions.
4. Argue whether the advantages of the current process outweigh the disadvantages, and if not, identify in which areas reform should be explored.
5. Provide a brief summary of the argument in closing.