THE ROLE OF THE LINE-ITEM VETO IN THE FEDERAL BALANCE OF POWER

Rampant federal spending has led to widespread calls for a constitutio nal amendment enacting a line-item veto, which would give the Presiden t greater discretion in curbing the excesses of Cong''ss. While a line -item veto would surely trim the federal budget, it also threatens to upset the delicate balance of power in the federal system. In this Not e, Mr. Petrilla explores the need for a line-item veto as well as diff erent ways in which a constitutional line-item veto amendment might be crafted. Drawing on the experiences of state governments, he notes th e dangers of a broad item veto and argues that a limited type of veto, the ''reduction only '' veto, would best respect the balance of power on the national scale.