It started under Johnson.
[/quote]
Right. But that's not what you said. You said:
if Johnson had not stolen the surplus for general revenues
Without mention of subsequent presidents doing the same thing. Additionally, if the surplus had been "stolen", wouldn't the members of Congress all those years also been culpable? Cuz, ya know, they approved it. Or how about the Commission that recommended Johnson do it?
The Congressional Budget Impoundment and Control Act of 74 fixed this and established the modern system of budget reporting.
As far as this statement:
wanted to hide the cost of the war
Over and above the fact that that sounds eerily familiary, I cannot find any historical basis for it. As I said, a Commission recommended that Johnson include the funds.
