Cord Byrd: “But, Madam President, it has to be an informed public opinion. It has to be an informed public opinion. And that is…”

“But, Madam President, it has to be an informed public opinion. It has to be an informed public opinion. And that is, more than anything else, why the Senate is the premier deliberative body of the world today. It is the forum of the States and the forum of minorities, and a forum in which there is unlimited debate, the right of unlimited debate, only to be shut off by a cloture motion adopted or by a unanimous consent agreement. I happen to believe that the American people are not fully informed as to the ramifications of this snake oil constitutional amendment which would mandate--mandate--a balanced budget every year from now until kingdom come; every year. Madison, in Federalist Paper No. 63, said: * * * so there are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, * * * or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn. Now he was talking about the Senate. That is what Madison was talking about. Go look at the Federalist Paper No. 63. He was talking about the Senate. ``In these critical moments,'' he said, ``how salutary will the interference of some temperate and respectable body of citizens in order * * * to suspend the blow meditated by the people against themselves until reason, justice and truth can regain their authority, over the public mind.'' Madison was talking about the Senate.”