2011.01.12
Goodlatte introduces balance budget amendment
Bob Goodlatte
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County, has once again introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget.
Here’s his release:
In the opening hours of the 112th Congress, Congressman Bob Goodlatte reintroduced a balanced budget Constitutional amendment, which will require Congress to enact fiscally responsible spending measures, reduce the deficit, and ensure that the money our citizens work so hard to earn is not squandered on wasteful spending and programs. Thus far, 141 bipartisan Members of Congress have signed on to Congressman Goodlatte’s legislation as cosponsors. Congressman Goodlatte previously introduced this legislation in the 110th and 111th Congresses.
“We have a spending addiction in Washington, D.C., and it has proven to be an addiction that Congress cannot control on its own and which is bringing dire consequences,” said Rep. Goodlatte. “We have gone in a few short years from a deficit of billions of dollars to a deficit of trillions of dollars. The government is borrowing money at an unprecedented pace, which presents serious risks of massive inflation. Our national debt recently surpassed an astonishing $14 trillion and continues to rapidly increase, along with the waste associated with paying the interest on that debt.”
The balanced budget amendment is a commonsense measure that is long overdue. It requires that Congress not spend more than it receives in revenues, requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress, and requires a 3/5 majority vote to increase the debt limit, while also providing an exception in times of national emergencies. A Constitutional amendment will force Congress to eliminate unnecessary and wasteful spending and make the decisions necessary to balance the budget and eliminate the federal deficit. Currently, forty-nine out of fifty state governments, including Virginia, have a balanced budget requirement.
“Congress’ spending addiction is not a partisan one,” said Rep. Goodlatte. “It reaches across the aisle and afflicts both parties, which is why neither party has been able to master it. A balanced budget amendment to our Constitution will once and for all require Congress to rein in this out-of-control behavior. ”
Goodlatte continued, “Our federal government must be lean, efficient and responsible with the dollars that our nation’s citizens worked so hard to earn. We must work to both eliminate every cent of waste and squeeze every cent of value out of each dollar our citizens entrust to us. Families all across our nation understand what it means to make tough decisions each day about what they can and cannot afford and government officials should be required to exercise similar restraint when spending the hard-earned dollars of our nation’s citizens.”
In addition, Congressman Goodlatte introduced another Constitutional amendment that has three parts. This resolution would (1) amend the Constitution to require that total spending for any fiscal year not exceed total receipts; (2) require that bills to raise revenues pass each House of Congress by a 3/5 majority; and (3) establish an annual spending cap such that total federal spending could not exceed 1/5 of the economic output of the United States. The bill would also require a 3/5 majority vote for any increases in the debt limit.
Both pieces of legislation have been referred to the House Judiciary Committee on which Congressmen Goodlatte serves as a senior Member.
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Well, I guess he forgot all about introducing his Term Limits Bill and abiding by that promise back in 1992, now didn’t he?
Comment by William Bova — January 12, 2011 @ 6:37 pm
The balanced budget amendment is a bad idea because it makes it difficult
for the government to respond to national emergencies which may require
sudden infusions of money to deal with them. And it simply serves as an
excuse for congressmen who don’t have the guts to do what’s right and ignore the lobbyists who own them in the first place. A person who
runs for Congress and gets elected should have the integrity and intelligence to make tough decisions without regard to where his/her
next campaign dollar is coming from.
Comment by dave — January 12, 2011 @ 7:43 pm
Doesn’t he do this all the time ? I mean good grief! Can he just not figure it all out? Every election he talks about how things are out of control and they need to change and then rambles crap about what he wants. Then guess what: Nothing gets done. So in almost TWO DECADES if nothing has changed and he is still complaining about the same things and introducing the same bills, he needs to just make good on his promise and not run again. We need new innovative fresh ideas in Congress. Not marionettes.
Comment by belle — January 13, 2011 @ 7:51 am
“The balanced budget amendment is a commonsense measure that is long overdue. It requires that Congress not spend more than it receives in revenues”
Great idea! Actually spend what we have instead of borrowing.Dems wont like it though.The thought of actually paying as you go is a concept they cant understand.Obama would actually have to pay for all these unfunded bills instead of printing more money or borrowing from China.
Comment by Jack Mcguire — January 13, 2011 @ 8:22 am
Does Rep. Goodlatte actually intend to do anything useful towards solving this country’s problems?
So far he’s read the Constitution (and skipped two pages), called for a bill requiring presidential candidates to prove their citizenship, and now call for a Constitutional amendment, a process that will take at least five years before it comes to fruition.
Stop wasting the people’s time and actually do something!
Comment by John A. Fugel — January 13, 2011 @ 10:09 am
The only difference between Democrats and Republicans is democrats tax and spend while republicans borrrow and spend….see McDonnel’s plan for transportation.
Comment by Ed Lovell — January 13, 2011 @ 10:42 am
Goodlatte doesn’t know our history. At the end of WW II, the country was in debt about 93% of the gross national produce (figured differently than the gross domestic product of today). The government went further in debt sending people back to school, building homes, investing in infrastructure, etc. The economy recovered, with more educated people new technologies emerged, etc. The government pays itself back through taxation. Each time money passes from one hand to the next, government gets a cut. As the velocity of money speeds up, the government is repaid and everyone benefits with an improved economy. Greater investment in rebuilding our infrastructure, sending people to school, etc., is how the economy will improve. Further investment in the military doesn’t circulate through the economy and thus is a loss. Yes, the government should go further in debt to better pay its own way. The economic theories focus on the circularity and velocity of money. There are no other solutions. The federal budget isn’t like the state of family budget. The federal government can create money to stimulate the economy. Goodlatte’s proposal will further facilitate the wealthy to gain an increasing share of the national wealth.
Comment by Jerry Moles — January 14, 2011 @ 11:13 am