What budget?

Years ago I had a editor who thought it was a waste of time to cover the Hill. Unless it was an agency head being grilled for a failed program, he really didn't care.It was 90 percent B.S., he would say, only much more colorfully. For what we were covering - the Food and Drug Administration - legislation didn't become interesting until it passed out of committee and usually we didn't write about something until it passed one or both houses of Congress.I don't advocate that approach, still I can't help but hear his voice rattling around in my head, especially when budget time roles around.Considering that it is an election year and with Congress' track record, I wonder whether this budget will ever see the light of day.So how important is it? For contractors, I'm not sure. We already know what this administration's priorities are and the hopes of passage are slim to none. But on the positive side, it does give insights into what President Bush will emphasize in his last year in office.A year from now, the budget will be much bigger news because it will be a blueprint for the next administration's goals and aspirations. But the bigger question remains, will it get passed?