Dale Bumpers: “since last week's vote on the balanced budget amendment I have received calls and letters from people saying, ``Senator…”

“since last week's vote on the balanced budget amendment I have received calls and letters from people saying, ``Senator, you are going to be in big trouble if you run for reelection in 1998.'' My response is far better that I be in political trouble than the Nation be in big trouble by starting down the path of putting every single whim and caprice that somebody can come up with in some national magazine in the Constitution. The people in this body who do not want the issue for political purposes but who really want a balanced budget are not only going to support the Balanced Budget Act of 1995 when the Senate considers the proposal, they are going to support it strongly, because it has teeth and it requires action immediately. The people in this country are not interested in all the partisan bickering that has taken place in Congress. When it comes to the deficit, they expect the people of this body to hold hands and work together. I made a chamber of commerce speech the other night. I said the beauty of our system is that while you may not like our politics, the truth of the matter is that we agree on a lot more things than we disagree on.”