As a fiscal document recording the spending, taxing, and borrowing policies for the coming year, the U.S. budget continues to be a model for other nations. This book focuses on the various phases of budget making, its historical background in fiscal and monetary terms, and special budgetary issues, including the budget balance, credit activities of Government-Sponsored Enterprises, the future health of Social Security, and the budget's relationship to the financial and public goods aspects of the international environment. Covering major changes in the structure and process of budgeting since 1989, when the book was first published, this volume covers new ground in many aspects of fiscal and financial policy, domestically and internationally.

Each section of the book is devoted to a different aspect of U.S. budgeting, ranging from the foundations of the present policies, to the annual budget cycle, to the actual methods of accomplishment, and the containment of those policies in the global framework. One section focuses on high visibility issues-Social Security, surpluses, federal debt, and entitlement programs. The book provides a valuable overview for those wishing to understand the budget process and its foundations while aspiring to help improve that process.