Political Quotes

“I do hope all Americans are paying close attention to this debate on the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and that they are listening very carefully to the arguments presented on both sides. This is a very important debate. We do not very often even discuss amending the Constitution of the United States of America. So it is important that we hear the arguments, we debate both points of view and the various amendments that will come before us as those on each side of the aisle try to perfect this amendment and some will try to defeat it. Some will say the only way to balance our budget is to write the requirement to balance it into the Constitution. Others will say the Constitution is not the appropriate place to put economic theory. I myself am not philosophically opposed to the idea of amending the Constitution with a balanced budget amendment if it provides flexibility to the people's elected representatives to respond to national security threats, disasters, emergency situations, and recessionary conditions. It also must protect our commitment to American workers past and present, by exempting the Social Security trust fund from its procedures. By flexibility I mean specifically that such an amendment should not enshrine a supermajority vote into the Constitution.”