Washington is addicted to spending. The deeper its addictionbecomes, the more vociferously it denies that it has a problem. Republicans inthe House of Representatives attempted to stage an intervention today in the formof a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution – a one-time bipartisanendeavor that would help to put an end to deficits once and for all.
By a vote of 261 in favor to 165 opposed the House fell 23votes shy of the two-third required to pass an amendment to the Constitution. Only25 Democrats voted in favor. By contrast, essentially the same amendment passedin 1995 with 72 Democrats joining 228 Republicans in voting ‘yes.’
So what happened?
If anything, the problems that the BBA aims to solve –overspending and unsustainable deficits – have only grown worse in theintervening years. And although Democrats had expressed their opposition toother versions of the BBA – ones that included spending caps and supermajorityrequirements for tax increases – this version featured none of those things.
The answer seems to be partisan politics. Sad, given that aBBA enjoys support of more than 74 percent of Americans, including 63 percentof Democrats.
Nevertheless, this isn’t the end of the battle. Later thisyear the Senate will also hold a vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment, givingboth parties another chance to break its dangerous addiction to spending beforeit is too late.
Moreover, 261 votes remains an impressive showing ofbipartisanship, especially with the vote buried beneath headlines about whatthis-or-that Presidential candidate had for breakfast and whether the DeficitSupercommittee is in fact “super.”
Whether it is willing to admit it or not, Washington has adebt problem that is negatively impacting us all. That’s why NTU will buildupon the positive momentum generated by today’s vote and continue to work hardto secure passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment. After all, it’s the onlysure-fire cure to what ails us.