1) Imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government through a balanced budget amendment;
This is a very good idea, on paper.
But obviously, the country can't be required to balance its budget unconditionally, every year, come what may. If a major war were to break out, the BBA could strangle us. So most people pushing a BBA, write an exception into it for declared wars or "states of emergency". And some people put in other reasons.
Two problems with that.
One is that we have been in an official "state of emergency" since March 4, 1933... and it has never been canceled or rescinded. It was written so that only the President can call it off... and no President has been willing to do so, ever since then, Democrat or Republican. I suppose Congress could also make a new law saying the "state of emergency" is now over... but the President has to sign any such law, see above.
So, making a BBA with any kind of necessary exception for emergencies, will be ignored almost before the ink is dry.
The other problem, is that some Democrats insist that any BBA must also have exceptions for preserving the spending for "entitlements" such as Social Security and other programs. Some say it should make those exceptions, some say it shouldn't. But if a Constitutional amendment is adopted saying anything about Social Security or other such programs,
that would be the first time that Social Security has ever been mentioned in the U.S. Constitution.
Social Security is, in fact, a completely unconstitutional program. The Federal govt has NEVER been authorized by the Constitution, to get involved in retirement funds in any way. They were always to be left "to the States, and the People", as commanded by the 10th amendment. Only by falsely claiming that SS was a "tax", did the leftists get the Supreme Court to accept it. (If this sounds familiar, yes, the leftists recently pulled the same trick with Obamacare, with a similar result.)
Basically, a Balanced Budget Amendment is a good idea. But be careful what you wish for.
2) limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government;
This one's always good for a laugh.
The Federal government has been violating the Constitution wholesale since at least the 1930s, and before. They break its laws with impunity, ranging from the 2nd amendment to the Welfare clause to the 10th and 4th amendments, and more. The notion that making a few more laws will straighten them out, is hilarious. Why wouldn't they just violate those new laws as easily as they violate the original ones?
Now, if you made an amendment that mandated
penalties for people who were convicted of violating various Constitutional provisions, you might have something worthwhile.
Until then, well, don't make me laugh with the silly, naïve notion that imposing more laws on people who already break the ones you have, will make any difference.