Modbert
Daydream Believer
- Sep 2, 2008
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Republicans Pressing for a Balanced Budget Fail to Deliver Details on How - Bloomberg
More political pandering to the base by the GOP without any real substance.
Congressional Republicans are clear in their demand for a constitutional amendment forcing the government to balance its budget. What theyre not offering is clarity on how to get there.
Its politically popular to line up behind such an amendment; laying out specific cuts is less appealing.
Almost all Republicans and some Democrats will vote to alter the Constitution when the issue comes up as early as this week. Almost none, including a leading co-sponsor of the Senate measure, Orrin Hatch, and Bill Flores of Texas, a co-sponsor of the House measure, say how theyd slash Medicare, eliminate federal programs or shrink education, law enforcement or national defense. Republicans agree that tax increases shouldnt be part of the equation.
Its a misleading political cheap shot, Bill Hoagland, a budget adviser to Republican congressional leaders from 1982 to 2007, said of the proposed amendment. We all agree we should have a balanced budget, but thats the process of budgeting and governing. They are paid to come to town and make decisions.
A balanced-budget amendment would require cuts even deeper than those in the budget proposed by Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, which was approved by the Republican-controlled House in April. Ryans plan doesnt balance the budget until 2040 and would leave a $338 billion deficit in 10 years.
Hatch, a Utah Republican facing re-election in 2012, wouldnt offer specifics on entitlement cuts or say which federal departments he would close to reach a balanced budget.
When the time comes, Ill name them, said Hatch. I dont want to do it right now, because we have to pass that amendment.
More political pandering to the base by the GOP without any real substance.