What the spending programs have done, however, is put Japan's government in poor fiscal shape.
"What if we skip all of his new spending programs?"
It still managed to have some money left over for various spending programs.
In the present climate, it is nearly impossible to spend money on new spending programs.
The reasons for that growth go beyond the Government's ambitious spending program.
"A great deal more goes into successful education than an expensive spending program."
This definition leaves some room for debate over specific public spending programs.
For the people who want a spending program, it is the most important thing in their lives.
They are being tapped to pay for regular federal spending programs.
Democrats said they would still push for a substantial part of the money to go to new spending programs.