Rand's balanced budget amendment...

[MRoCkEd]

I noticed Rand is touting that John Cornyn has called for a balanced budget amendment: http://www.randpaul2010.com/2010/11/...-constitution/

I truly hope Rand is introducing his own version, and is not going to be signing on to one drafted by Cornyn, which would probably end up doing more damage than no amendment. Even Jim DeMint's version is trash, which you could probably anticipate by John McCain, Lindsey Graham and other enemies of freedom signing on to it.

Some dangerous provisions I have seen are:
1. Basing numbers on the government's own estimates or GDP
2. Allowing exceptions during times of war (if anything this encourages keeping the wars going so they can keep spending)

[sailingaway]

I noticed Rand is touting that John Cornyn has called for a balanced budget amendment: http://www.randpaul2010.com/2010/11/...-constitution/

I truly hope Rand is introducing his own version, and is not going to be signing on to one drafted by Cornyn and supported by fellow enemies of freedom like Lindsey Graham, which would probably end up doing more damage than no amendment.

Some dangerous provisions I have seen are:
1. Basing numbers on the government's own estimates or GDP
2. Allowing exceptions during times of war (if anything this encourages keeping the wars going so they can keep spending)

Hatch's had had exceptions for years of 'declared war' only, and personally I think that the exception should only apply to war overages, which it didn't actually say.

[TheDriver]

A war exception will have to be made, if we expect passage.

[MRoCkEd]

A war exception will have to be made, if we expect passage.

The "war on terror" is indefinite. It would need to be clear that any exception is a full declaration of war, not an "authorization of force" or simply calling it a war.

[Brett85]

I noticed Rand is touting that John Cornyn has called for a balanced budget amendment: http://www.randpaul2010.com/2010/11/...-constitution/

I truly hope Rand is introducing his own version, and is not going to be signing on to one drafted by Cornyn, which would probably end up doing more damage than no amendment. Even Jim DeMint's version is trash, which you could probably anticipate by John McCain, Lindsey Graham and other enemies of freedom signing on to it.

Some dangerous provisions I have seen are:
1. Basing numbers on the government's own estimates or GDP
2. Allowing exceptions during times of war (if anything this encourages keeping the wars going so they can keep spending)

Rand also said during an interview that he supports exceptions during declared wars.

[MRoCkEd]

Rand also said during an interview that he supports exceptions during declared wars.

He will need to be clear that Afghanistan and Iraq are NOT examples of declared wars.

[specsaregood]

A war exception will have to be made, if we expect passage.

And exactly the problem, not having to pay immediately for the war is one of the biggest reasons they continue endlessly.

[TheDriver]

The "war on terror" is indefinite. It would need to be clear that any exception is a full declaration of war, not an "authorization of force" or simply calling it a war.

I agree, but the existing "wars" would probably have to be "grandfathered-in" if we expect to get a coalition to pass it.

It's not like the left will be waiting with open arms to support this either.... meaning we have to have strong support on the right, in-order to move forward.

I think many of us here realize a "balanced-buget" won't be the fix-all, but it's a step in the right direction.

[libertybrewcity]

I really think that the balanced budget amendment is doable for rand. Republicans control state houses across the country now. We can get this through the US house and the senate after the 2012 elections. After that, we have ten years to get 38 states to ratify it.

I am willing to bet that most of the Republican controlled states would agree, and then it would take some work to get the rest, but not that hard.

[AParadigmShift]

Surely we all realize that such maneuverings as "balanced budget amendments" and the like are nothing more than political legerdemain, right?

[specsaregood]

Does anybody know if the amendment makes it clear that it can't be balanced via various forms of debt?

[Chester Copperpot]

just legalize gold and silver money again and that becomes a defacto balanced budget amendment..

[lx43]

I think any balanced budget admendment must have some teeth behind it to make the politicians balance it. Look at our current constitution, there is no punishment for politicians that abuse it.

A Balance Budget Admendment to the constitution should say a. that anytime that expenses of the govt exceed revenues, no member of Congress or President will be allowed to run for re-election or old elected office. b. No salary