Please don't fall into the "Balanced Budget Amendment" trap

[maxrandb]

As always, the Devil is in the details. I've seen some, even on DU, saying, "hey, why not send it to the people to vote on, I don't see a problem with a BBA", but I think we need to be extremely cautious.

Look, like it or not, the American people were dumb enough to vote for Bush...TWICE...and they came within several million votes of making Caribou Barbie the Vice President of the United States.

It's pretty simple. All you need to do is run ads like; "All we want to do is require 'gubmint' to 'live within it's means', just like the American family". Stupid people, with the aid of our less than curious news media will look at that and say; "Oh yeah, why don't we just make the 'gubmint' balance the budget", without asking the most important question..."HOW?"

I guarantee you that anything the Repukes send up is going to require a 2/3's or even 3/4th vote for "ANY REVENUE INCREASE", and I'd also bet that defense spending will be "off the table". That means they get exactly what they want. If the budget is out of balance, automatic cuts to our social safety net will automatically kick in.

The BBA is nothing but a backdoor way to kill the New Deal. Something the Repukes have been trying to do since they VOTED IN LOCKSTEP AGAINST IT OVER 70 YEARS AGO!

And don't even get me started on how they can tie the hands of every future Congress.

Do you think most Americans will look at this "rationally"? I don't. Hell, look at my situation, I have debt on my house, car, credit cards and HELOC. In the case of an emergency, I may take out even more debt, and make minimum payments. Hell, I may even have times when I am spending more than I am brining in in any given month and have to dip into savings.

If I had a BBA amendment in my household, I would be required to give up my house, instead of carrying some debt in hard times.

Now, try to make that argument, with our current media, to an American people who will hear nothing but; "live within our means", "gubmint waste", "out of control spending", and "cut, cut, cut".

[HockeyMom]

1. It's unconstitutional

Congress ALONE cannot pass an amendment to the constitution.

[maxrandb]

2. The problem is that it is so simplistic

that it is easy to sell to "simpletons".

Try this experiment. Randomly ask people, even some of your more liberal friends, if they support a "balanced budget". Just leave the "amendment" part out.

I would be willing to bet you that 7-8 out of 10 will say; "Harumph" (random Blazing Saddles reference).

Now, ask those same 10 if they support a balanced budget that would make massive cuts in Social Security and Medicare, and demand no tax increases on the wealthy...including NOT EVEN ENDING BUSH' TAX-CUTS ON THE TOP 5%.

and then...ask yourself if the media is going to be diligent about telling Americans just what the BBA requires?

:scared: