On March 23, Congress passed a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill, with spending hikes expected to raise the deficit over $1 trillion as soon as next year.
Three weeks later, the House voted on a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Congress to balance the budget each year.
Because the fact is, Congress needs us to impose effective fiscal restraints on Washington.
Even if Congress did have the political fortitude to tighten its own belt, a balanced-budget amendment could not rescue the nation from the looming fiscal crisis.
Does anyone doubt that this practice would increase dramatically under a balanced-budget amendment? Congress can simply make its own budget look better by casting more of a burden on the budgets of our state and local governments.
Having spent a long time in Congress, I can tell you that if you think cutting spending is the natural response to a balanced-budget requirement, you aren't thinking like the average member of Congress.
The only solution big enough to confront our federal problems is the tool for constitutional amendment provided to our state legislatures in Article V. The time is now for the states to band together to pass the Convention of States resolution, which sets the agenda for a meeting of the states to draft proposed amendments that will impose fiscal restraints on Washington, limit its power and jurisdiction, and set term limits on federal officials.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/04/27/a_balanced-budget_amendment_will_not_fix_washington_136920.html
Three weeks later, the House voted on a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Congress to balance the budget each year.
Because the fact is, Congress needs us to impose effective fiscal restraints on Washington.
Even if Congress did have the political fortitude to tighten its own belt, a balanced-budget amendment could not rescue the nation from the looming fiscal crisis.
Does anyone doubt that this practice would increase dramatically under a balanced-budget amendment? Congress can simply make its own budget look better by casting more of a burden on the budgets of our state and local governments.
Having spent a long time in Congress, I can tell you that if you think cutting spending is the natural response to a balanced-budget requirement, you aren't thinking like the average member of Congress.
The only solution big enough to confront our federal problems is the tool for constitutional amendment provided to our state legislatures in Article V. The time is now for the states to band together to pass the Convention of States resolution, which sets the agenda for a meeting of the states to draft proposed amendments that will impose fiscal restraints on Washington, limit its power and jurisdiction, and set term limits on federal officials.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/04/27/a_balanced-budget_amendment_will_not_fix_washington_136920.html
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