Cord Byrd: “Mr. President, first on another matter. There is an adage among computer users that says ``garbage in, garbage out.''…”

“Mr. President, first on another matter. There is an adage among computer users that says ``garbage in, garbage out.'' What that means, of course, is that if unreliable or incomplete information is put into a computer, then unreliable or incomplete information will come out of that computer. Although ``garbage in, garbage out'' comes from the world of computers, the basic theory applies to other disciplines as well. For example, consider the question: ``Do you support or oppose a constitutional amendment to require a balanced Federal budget?'' As of January 4, 1995, 80 percent, we are told, 80 percent of the American people say that they support such an amendment. My source is an article in the Friday, January 6, edition of the Washington Post. According to a poll taken for the Washington Post and ABC news, that overwhelming percentage buys on to the concept of a balanced budget amendment. Amazing, one would think that on the face of it, this extremely popular idea would have nearly no opponents. On the surface, if one went solely by that overwhelming percentage, one could say that this surely is an idea whose time has come. What is wrong with this Congress that it has not already passed this fabulous balanced budget amendment?”