Constitution
Balanced Budget Amendment Is Grandstanding Politics
June 29, 2011 
Idaho’s U.S. Senators, Junior Jim Risch and Senior Mike Crapo have joined a group of 47 who propose an amendment to the constitution of the United States of America to require a balanced budget.
While that sounds great in concept, it will take years upon years to ever pass. The joint announcement is nothing but a publicity stunt and the GUARDIAN will assert the proposal is absurd and doomed to failure.
Amendments are not shallow quick fix measures undertaken at the drop of a hat. To amend the U.S. constitution–the foundation of all the laws of the nation–congress must have a 2/3 majority approval vote of its members, followed by approval of 3/4ths of the states. If anyone can get this done with regard to a balanced budget they could be President for life–but there is an amendment that prohibits it!
Here is article 5 which would make good reading for both Junior and Senior:
“ARTICLE 5–Amendments may be proposed by either two-thirds of both houses of the United States Congress or by a national convention. This convention can be assembled at the request of the legislatures of at least two-thirds of the several states. To become part of the Constitution, amendments must then be ratified either by approval of the legislatures of three-fourths of the states or ratifying conventions held in three-fourths of the states. Congress has discretion as to which method of ratification should be used. Any amendment so ratified becomes a valid part of the constitution, provided that no state “shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the senate,” without its consent.”
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jun 29, 2011, 4:27 pm
Junior and Senior are so full of smoke blowing up the voters out hole, this is all they can muster.
Republicans know they can do no better than the current administration since the two party system is broke and corrupt and both are slaves to a giant bloated military bent on continual war so they can reap the profits (tax) of patriotic tax payers.
Crapo and Risch are nothing but tools of global corporations.
Jun 29, 2011, 10:30 pm
I have watched politicians talk about controlling spending but they like to dole out federal bucks (taxes) to the folks back home for all manner of pork projects.
The Dems like to tax and spend and the Repubs like to borrow and spend. GW was one of the worst and much vaunted Ronald Reagan always talked about a balanced budget but never submitted one for consideration. In fact, the size and cost of government ballooned under Reagan. And let’s not forget the Gingrich contract on America.
I would like to see a program where every government employee has to count off by 2’s. One, two, one, two down the line and we give all the one’s a pink slip. I really believe (with few exceptions) things would still run just fine.
Jun 30, 2011, 6:57 am
Well said, Dog!The Rs have had their chance too, and did nothing.
Jun 30, 2011, 7:20 am
Tell the masses what they want to hear and they will vote for you.
Jun 30, 2011, 7:29 am
Mr Guardian, what do expect from Politicians? Remember Politicians are little more than frustrated actors that are too stupid for radio and too ugly for TV. They are not the country’s best and brightest, courageous or statesmen
Just saying
Jun 30, 2011, 1:07 pm
David, my man. Good one. You would stay very busy pointing out all the publicity stunts our glorious federal officials try to pull. It happens on a daily basis. Have you ever seen their newsletters or press releases? These do-nothings sound like
Daniel Webster. Keep it up.
Jun 30, 2011, 2:19 pm
I would add to the comments about politicians that most of them did not get elected by a huge mandate from the people. They simply got a majority of the votes cast. The good ones know about 50% of the people would like to see them out of office.
Jun 30, 2011, 4:21 pm
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20075586-503544.html
This worth a read. Why do we vote for theses guys?
Jun 30, 2011, 5:24 pm
In Idaho we vote for these guys because they are Republicans. Everyone knows Idaho Dems will take your guns, tax the rich, create death panels, lock up the wilderness, force you to have an abortion, take God out of the classroom, and teach your kids how to be gay.
EDITOR NOTE– You forgot about the big bad wolf.
Jul 2, 2011, 12:17 pm
dog’s first comment is right on, but his second one is baloney.
The Guardian’s analysis is also right on.
If we want to live in a civilized society with basic necessities like Social Security and Medicare (for those who pay into those systems) and health care for those who cannot, then those with the ability to pay more in taxes (who also happen to be the same people who got us into this mess) will have to pay more. We also need to stop all these useless wars which cost billions of dollars each month.
Jul 2, 2011, 10:44 pm
Thanks Rod, I forgot to mention that we vote for Republicans in Idaho because they serve up baloney too. Us Idahoans love our baloney, especially on white tasteless bread.
Jul 3, 2011, 3:59 pm
I haven’t liked baloney since I was a kid. Idahoans need to grow up.