Lamar Smith: “critics have pulled out all the rhetorical stops in their misguided attempts to defeat the balanced budget amendment.…”

“critics have pulled out all the rhetorical stops in their misguided attempts to defeat the balanced budget amendment. Perhaps none of the critics' claims is more wrong than that this amendment would be a substitute for tough choices and accountability. This amendment will only be a substitute for tough choices if it doesn't pass. If it does pass, then the tough choices will have to be made, and no one will be held more accountable than those who voted for it. What solutions are amendment critics proposing? They say to do nothing and count on the economy to fix the deficit. The question then becomes: What will improve our economy faster? A government that spends more than it takes in or a private sector that gets to spend more of what it takes in? I believe that the latter will, and I believe the Members who support this amendment and the American people who pay the bills agree with me.”