Star-Banner - Balanced Budget Amendment: Washington's Needed Restraint

Op-Ed

By Dan Webster

Americans are rightfully frustrated with what they see, and don't see, coming out of Washington. This is evident not only in our hesitation to invest and spend in this tumultuous economy, but also in our frustration with lawmakers in Washington who fail to lead and collaborate on solutions to move our economy and nation forward.

Hard-working taxpayers throughout America's communities are rightfully dissatisfied because Washington has failed on even the most straightforward task: to live within our nation's means.

Decades of unchecked spending by both political parties has brought us to this critical moment in history, where our nation swims in debt while our local neighborhoods are thirsty for job-creation.

There is still time to set this situation right; but we must act now, and we must act boldly.

The solution is not another safety net or more wiggle-room. What we need from Washington is restraint -- we need something that will hold them to their word.

A balanced budget amendment will ensure lawmakers finally operate within responsible spending parameters rather than using empty promises and repetitive rhetoric.

As part of the Cut, Cap and Balance Act that passed the House with my support, we helped secure a vote on a balanced budget amendment. The process of amending the U.S. Constitution requires careful consideration and examination. As a member of the Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force, it was my privilege to explore different drafts and proposals to find the most thoughtful and effective approach to rein in reckless spending in Washington. The key element to any balanced budget amendment is that it must guarantee that money spent by the federal government does not exceed the money brought in by the federal government.

After weighing the characteristics of the nearly 10 versions that were introduced in the House of Representatives, I believe that the best option for successfully reining in Washington's spending problem is H.J. Res. 2. This simple, effective and straightforward amendment is the same version put forward in 1995, in the Contract with America, which passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, but ultimately failed in the Senate by one vote. H.J. Res 2 does the following:

Requires a majority vote by all the members of Congress to raise taxes;

Requires a three-fifths majority to raise the debt ceiling;

Requires the president to submit a balanced budget to Congress each year; and

Authorizes waivers only when a declaration of war or a congressional authorization of military force is in effect.

Forty-nine states have some form of a balanced budget amendment, including right here in Florida, where we have seen the benefits of constricting our Legislature's spending. During my 28 years in the Florida Legislature, I was a part of 28 balanced budgets. It's time for the federal government to take notes from responsible families who sit down to balance their checkbooks and state governments that protect taxpayer dollars by spending responsibly within their means.

Some politicians in Washington will tell you that we don't need to amend our Constitution to balance our budget; they say we can manage just fine. In July, President Barack Obama endorsed this sentiment when he said, "We don't need a constitutional amendment to do our jobs." With all due respect to the skeptics, when we have a Senate that has failed to pass a budget in more than 900 days, a government that has continued to borrow more than 40 cents on every dollar to the tune of $4 billion a day and when unemployment has soared to 9 percent, it is crystal clear that Washington isn't doing its job under the status quo.

Implementing spending restraint in Washington will create jobs in Central Florida, as businesses will finally have access to capital, as well as renewed confidence in a government that is able to deliver on its promises. It's not too late to have a government that spends within its means, provides tools to enhance our economy and unleashes our individual inspirations. This vision is achievable if we work together to send Washington a strong message with spending-restraint strings attached.

U.S. Rep. Dan Webster represents Florida's 8th Congressional District, which includes the eastern half of Marion County. Webster lives in Orlando.

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