A Michigan lawmaker has introduced a bill calling for a convention of the states to debate a constitutional amendment that would require a national balanced budget.
State Sen. Mike Green (R-Mayville) is sponsoring a bill to enter Michigan into the Compact for America (CFA), a proposal calling for a constitutional convention to create a national balanced budget amendment. Under CFA, a convention would be called if the proposal is affirmed by 38 states, and a previously agreed-upon constitutional amendment would be the only item on the agenda.
‘The Number One Issue’
CFA Commissioner and Georgia Rep. Paulette Rakestraw (R-Powder Springs) says CFA is “a safe way” to address Washington, DC’s never-ending spending binge.
“This is a safe way to advance a balanced budget amendment, which is the most critical thing that we do,” Rakestraw said. “The number one issue concerning the American people is Washington[, DC’s] inability to control spending and their ability to keep raising the debt ceiling and mortgaging our kids’ futures.”
Rakestraw says the time for states to assert control over Washington, DC politicians is now, not later.
“When the states unite behind this common purpose, they exercise their power,” Rakestraw said. “The states become like the board of directors for Washington. Spending in Washington is out of control. They make campaign promises and then take our tax dollars to fund it, and when there’s not enough tax dollars there. They just raise the debt ceiling. They’re basically mortgaging our kids’ futures, so it’s really taxation without representation.
“If you want to fix the problems in Washington, you need to take away the ability of the creditors to write their own credit limits,” Rakestraw said.
States Stepping Up
Green says state lawmakers are working to solve the problem because the national government has proven it’s unwilling to fix things.
“Every politician, every year when they run, they always talk about the deficit [and] how we’re going to stop it,” Green said. “Once they get into office, everybody forgets. Especially federal office. Well, I didn’t forget it.
“I believe that the federal deficit is going to eventually break us, like it’s doing to Greece and some countries down in South America, and if we don’t get a handle on it, we’re going to be going down the same path,” Green said. “If you talk to people that have spoken professionally about the stock market, … the question always is, ‘What’s going to happen when our deficit finally breaks us?'”
