Political Quotes

“Congress and the Federal Government have run a deficit for the past 24 years. The economic consequences of Congress' reckless ways are not lost on the American public. Sixty-four percent of Americans see the balanced budget amendment as the best way to force Congress to make the difficult decisions necessary to achieve a balanced budget and start tackling the $5 trillion national debt. Most Americans also recognize the futility of the countless budget deals, having witnessed Congress's abandonment of Gramm-Rudman, the failure of the 1990 Budget Reconciliation Act, and other past efforts to balance budgets by statute. Statutes are repealed by a simple majority, eliminating the hope for a permanent deficit reduction strategy from one Congress to another. Tax hikes targeted for deficit reduction are squandered on new spending, and the cycle repeats itself. Congress' propensity to tax and spend is a structural problem that requires a structural response. The balanced budget constitutional amendment would create a new playing field for Congress, one which places a higher priority on responsible budgeting than taxing and spending. American families struggle to manage on a balanced budget. Perhaps the ultimate expression of Congress' detachment from the values of those we represent is this institution's inability to resist spending money it doesn't have.”