(no subject)

[fpb]

One thing that democratic countries need is an independent and possibly unelected - and if not, elected for life - body of accountants charged with scrutinizing the budget, insuring that existing statutory liabilities are covered, and rejecting improperly costed expenditure proposals. No law should be passed which is either not provided for from existing funds or else takes away from funds set aside for other purposes. Some European countries, including Italy, have a Court of Accounts - a tribunal-like body that assesses state accounts - but its powers are limited, and it has frequently proved incapable of stopping disastrous drives in public spending.