Republicans: Obama should back balanced budget amendment

[TomCADem]

Source: USA Today

Republicans are urging President Obama to endorse a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution during his highly touted jobs speech next week.

In the GOP response to the president's weekly radio address, Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia said the federal government won't control spending unless, like 49 states, it's unable to go deeper into debt than it already is.

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Obama opposes the amendment, and its path through Congress appears blocked. It would need two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, then ratification by 38 states. In 1995, the Republican-controlled Senate fell one vote short of sending it to the states; today's Senate is Democratic.

* * *

"In his upcoming jobs speech, President Obama should call on both parties to come together this fall and send a Balanced Budget Amendment to the states for ratification," Goodlatte said. "By focusing on removing barriers to job creation -- and creating barriers to debt creation -- we can get our economy back on track."








Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/09/republicans-obama-should-endorse-balanced-budget-amendment/1

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Once again, will liberals ignore the craziness that is dominating the Republican dominated House? Will we live under the fantasy that if Bernie Sanders or Dennis Kucinich were President that the Tea Party crazies would recognize the legitimacy of a Democratic President for the first time in decades? Republ;icans are crazy! They were willing to put our nation into default in order to advance a narrow idealogical agenda. Many feel that they need to kill our economy in order to save it. I am not putting words in their mouth. Look at their comments on the potential for default.

Yet, the corporate media narrative is strong. We have been conditioned to Blame Democrats and Give Republicans a Free pass. Even folks on the left begin to spam right wing talking points without thinking. Look at DU. A Republican can say something absolutely outargeous, yet rather than condemn what the Republican said, replies will be filled with one line attacks against Democrats that bear little relationship to the OP.

Why? Because the American public, including the left has been brainwashed by the corporate media. They cannot help but blame Democrats. Its a pavlovian response.

Thus, the mainstream Republican response is to call for a balanced budget that would require a 25% cut in the federal budget! This would devastate Medicare and Social Security, and require drastic cuts of these programs that would make Paul Ryan blush. Yet, do we hold Republicans accountable?

This is the test. Can the left actually focus on what Republicans are doing and hold them accountable by beating them in elections.

[bemildred]

1. So? nt

[enough]

4. Well, he's doing everything else they want, why not this. (nt)

[TomCADem]

9. See? The left has been conditioned to cheerlead for Republicans!

Even something as extreme as the balanced budget amendment is met with "let's give it to them!". Why should we expect electeds to fight when the "left" repeatedly advocates surrender.

When mad, the right wins elections, the left sits them out. 2010 showed the folly of the latter approach.

[PDJane]

2. If it managed to pass,

that amendment would immediately throw the economy into a tailspin. It is totally unworkable, and the GOP should know it's unworkable. The lunatics are in charge.

[neverforget]

7. They don't give a shit

[TomCADem]

10. The BBA Is A Smokescreem To Get the 2/3 Requirement Against Tax Increases

In the event of a recession, as tax revenues plunge, the federal government would need to slash spending since tax could not be raised without a 2/3 vote.

[The Wielding Truth]

3. It seems looney to me that a country would give thought to a balanced budget

during a time when it is fighting in 3 wars, struggling with economic depression and unusually high unemployment.

We need desperately to raise revenue. We should be selling bonds investing in projects that will pump money into the hands of those who will support local businesses. In turn those businesses will hire and the wages of employees will restore our economy.

Am I one of the only ones to see that a balanced budget is foolish at least and at most, harmful?

[PDJane]

8. No. You aren't.

And the republicans have to be aware that it's looney.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. BBA is just a gimmick

The Repukes had there chance when they controlled both houses of congress.

[TomCADem]

11. Not Really When Most Polls Show The American People Support It...

...and the Corporate Media ignores the 2/3 tax requirement or portrays that restriction as a good thing. Heck, every Republican candidate has expressed support for it, and many Republicans have signed the Cut, Cap and Balance pledge. They have essentially backed themselves into supporting it even if they did secretly believe it was a bad idea.

[gordianot]

6. Let's see jobs speech they are broken on budget and link it to everything short of bodily functions.

Well lets just get bi-partisan and compromise.