Balanced Budget Amendment

Functionalist

A balanced budget amendment has been portrayed as the only way to fix the national debt crisis currently facing our country. There have been several balanced budget amendments introduced in Congress over the past several decades. A BBA would force a choice between taxes today or taxes tomorrow which would affect non-voting future generations. A BBA would not only require the Federal government to be responsible for their spending but it would also force states to be responsible in their spending as well because they would no longer be able to pass the buck up to Washington, instead they would be held accountable and responsible for their own actions. This action would also cause them to be held accountable at the state level rather than having the federal government be responsible.

Three-Quarters of Americans are in favor of a Balanced Budget amendment according to a CNN poll. The National conference of State Legislatures has found that 49 states are required to balance their spending with receipts.

According to Senator Deb Fisher “ A Balanced Budget Amendment is the only way that Congress and the President will finally set critical national priorities and fund them properly. The BBA will force government to reduce the deficit enact spending policies and protect hard working taxpayers and generate real economic growth.”

Debt can cause inflation that can be passed on for generations if it is not repaid. Working today to fix the debt crisis is nothing but good policy for the American people. There is not a trade-off in this case between taxation and a BBA because debt is a form of taxation. Limiting the debt now will also limit taxation in the future.

In conclusion there is a great deal of common ground and policy that can be agreed upon from both the federal level as well as the state level. But for all the policy that can be agreed upon there is still that area that poses the contention for a total buy-in by all parties. Both...