Cut, Cap and Balance

The details of the plan Speaker Boehner discussed last night following the speech by President Obama are not readily available to the general public but the concepts of ‘Cut, Cap and Balance’ are desperately  needed by this country.

We must make spending cuts now that will begin to reduce the yearly deficit in 2011 and have an impact each year going forward. Without spending cuts we will never get to a balanced budget and be able to start reducing our $14 trillion debt. We cannot allow this debt to continue to grow! 

Spending caps need to be enforced on the federal government. Congress has learned to spend taxpayers’ money to buy constituent support with entitlements to get themselves re-elected time after time. If we ever get spending caps into legislation it should require at least a 2/3 majority of both the House and the Senate to over-ride the caps so that in times of national emergency we are not constrained.  Spending caps can only help get us to a balanced budget.

And finally, we need a Balanced Budget Amendment added to the U. S. Constitution which should include those spending caps so that when we do start running surpluses the Congress uses them to reduce the debt rather than finding new ways to spend the money. Also, this amendment should include a requirement that to raise taxes it will take 2/3 majorities in both houses of Congress.

The present debate on raising the debt ceiling has been tortuous for everyone. Citizens are beginning to understand that raising taxes costs jobs for the working person and eventually results in less revenue for government. Many older Americans live on social security checks supplemented by savings accumulated during their working years. I am incensed when I hear that President Obama’s answer to the debt crisis is to raise taxes on the rich. This is nothing more than class warfare which the President desires to incite for political purposes.