Masonry Magazine January 1966 Page. 25
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THE WAR IN VIET NAM IS GETTING TOP PRIORITY FROM CONGRESS this year. Checks with leading members of both parties on Capitol Hill reveal that the fighting in Southeast Asia dominates the lawmakers deliberations, just as it controls the business outlook. Military spending is calling the tune on the Budget. The volume of other types of bills considered and passed will be relatively light, especially when compared to 1965. There will be little of the trail-blazing that launched the President's Great Society last year.
Johnson achieved at least a start on most of his domestic programs during 1965. In addition, he will be preoccupied with foreign affairs-NATO, the dollar's defenses, etc., as well as Viet Nam. He won't be demanding much from the legislators other than war-related requests, of course.
THE PRESIDENT WILL GET MOST OF WHAT HE ASKS FOR from the Congress. He still has his huge Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. More important this is war-time again... and he is the Commander-in-Chief. He'll have patriotism and overwhelming public opinion working in his favor. Any upsets will be in the purely domestic area. They will be fairly minor.
Johnson's strategy will be to let Congress alone as much as possible. He will seek to avoid fights. He does not want to invite attacks or risk set-backs in this election year.
CONGRESS WON'T TAMPER WITH THE GUNS-AND-BUTTER BUDGET Johnson wants. It will accept his decisions on outlays especially Viet Nam-and on revenue. This means that spending for defense will rise $7-8 million over this year. All expenditures for nondefense programs have been slashed to the very bone. The President has been holding a tight ceiling on the total for fiscal 1967, the government accounting year starting next July. So, over-all spending isn't jumping as much as arms outlays and the deficit is rising even less.
One thing is sure: The Budget will be a powerful plus for business activity. It assures more jobs and sharply higher sales plus rising profits, though at a slower rate. You will see huge gains if there's no peace talk in Viet Nam.
CONGRESS WILL DEVOTE A LOT OF TIME TO TRANSPORTATION BILLS in 1966. Some say it will rank second to spending and other Viet Nam-related matters. The President and his advisers deem the U.S. transport system antiquated inefficient... a brake on economic growth and a threat to lasting prosperity. So Johnson wants to shake up the carriers. There will be no more favoritism. Competition will be the rule. Technological advances will be applied faster.
Some of the items Johnson will request and largely get:
Mass transit-More U.S. aid to help cities improve systems.
Rate regulation Further relaxation of the government role which will give railroads, mainly, more freedom to compete.
Speedy trains The experimental programs to link key cities will be advanced, even though it could pinch the airlines.
Ship subsidies - Ocean carriers will be getting less aid.
Road-building-Officials feel that the nation can't and shouldn't keep up with the tide of new cars. So use will be discouraged and few big new highway programs approved.
NEW CHARGES FOR THE USE OF FEDERAL FACILITIES WILL YIELD maybe $500 million in the new fiscal year and help with Washington's revenue problem. The President wants them. He says that transporters who profit from roads, airlines and waterways maintained by the U.S. should pay more of the costs. Past efforts to impose these charges were blocked by the groups to be taxed. Now, need for cash for Viet Nam could provide the margin needed for passage.
Truckers face a hike of 3 a gallon in the diesel tax and a levy of $4 per thousand pounds on heavy-duty trucks.
Airlines face a 24 a gallon more on fuel and freight tax.
Water carriers would have to pay 2é a gallon on fuel oil.
THE PRESIDENT IS READYING A REQUEST FOR HIGHER POSTAL RATES in 1966. The main object will be to erase the Post Office Department's large losses. But increased charges will also serve to cut the over-all Federal deficit. Normally, Congressmen don't like to raise postal rates in an election year. But the need for cash will overcome their usual reluctance to anger voters.
First-class and airmail would be combined into a new, single, priority service. The Post Office would try for over-night delivery everywhere in the U.S. at 64 an
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