Conservatives all over the country have pinned their hopes on Congress to present a balanced budget amendment, but such an amendment may not be the panacea that they expect.
I admit to calling my congressman, Francisco Canseco, about the balanced budget amendment. I went to Town Hall meetings and asked when someone in Congress planned to bring it forward. He politely answered it was in the making.
Well, they eventually presented the amendment for a vote, and on November 18, the House of Representatives rejected it. A total of 261 members voted for the measure, 23 votes short of the two-thirds majority required for passage, and 165 members opposed it. Most Republicans voted for it while most Democrats voted no.
Democratic leaders argued that it would force the government into an economically destructive cycle of massive spending cuts. We have here another example of a government drunk with power and intent on spending other people’s money.
Currently, 47 states must balance their budgets, but despite this constitutional mandate at least 42 states predict shortfalls for 2012. Their expenses simply outstrip their income and they have difficulty doing anything about it because no matter what program they target for cuts, they face opposition.
We see the same thing in Congress. If anyone mentions the possibility of cutting entitlements or anything for that matter, the Democrats cry foul and their constituencies rise up screaming.
I fear that if Congress passes such an amendment and the states ratify it, certain factions in government will make certain that Congress adheres to it, and well they should, but therein lies the problem.
Congress will do nothing to moderate its appetite for spending. Republicans and Democrats alike feel they have to “bring home the pork,” and so they take on the role of Santa Claus and promise everything to everyone in order to buy votes. They will continue to spend and they will continue to tax us into oblivion. After all, they must balance the budget.
So unless Congress curbs its appetite for spending our money, or the amendment itself places spending limits on Congress, a balanced budget amendment will fail miserably. They’ll spend, spend, spend, and tax, tax, tax. And We the People will pay, pay, pay.
Comment and add to the story without registration, but keep the comments meaningful please. Links are not accepted.
