Topic: DeMint To Filibuster Raising Debt Ceiling If No Balanced Budget Amendment

[trapeze]

Basically, the Balanced Budget Amendment is an election year ploy. Get the Dems and RINOs to oppose it so that they are on record as big spenders. The Constitution is hard to amend for a reason. And how on earth would such an amendment ever be enforced?

Anyway, I think it's good strategery, though, on DeMints part.

Throwing down the gauntlet, Republican Sen. Jim DeMint threatened Monday to block a vote in Congress on raising the U.S. debt ceiling unless he wins a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution.

The filibuster threat comes a day after Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner suggested Republican leaders had offered private assurances to the White House that they ultimately would vote to raise the $14.3 trillion ceiling, regardless of whether a deal is reached on long-term spending cuts.

Publicly, Republicans say they will demand spending cuts as a condition for supporting a hike in the debt ceiling. They stood by that claim following Geithner's comments, and DeMint took their demands a step further.

"I will oppose any attempt to vote to raise the limit on our $14 trillion debt until Congress passes the balanced-budget amendment," the South Carolina conservative said. He first made the remarks to McClatchy, which his office confirmed to Fox News.

Found on FNC.

[charlesoakwood]

Basically, the Balanced Budget Amendment is an election year ploy. Get the Dems and RINOs to oppose it so that they are on record as big spenders. The Constitution is hard to amend for a reason. And how on earth would such an amendment ever be enforced?

Anyway, I think it's good strategery, though, on DeMints part.

...

Yes, voting for the amendment isn't that difficult, they vote all the time. 
Quid pro quo, you want to raise the ceiling, I'll help you, vote for my amendment. Business as usual, no?
If I'm not mistaken, the states that have a balanced budget amendment are in better shape than those without.

[Libertas]

And remember a balanced budget only aims to not add another cent to the total debt, there still has to be a plan to cut into spending at even lower levels to retire debt faster and reduce its drain on our viability.  So if we cannot even get to balanced operating budgets that is a white flag signaling our surrender, for we would be admitting the problem is beyond our solving.  No more smoke & mirrors, no more back-loading promised cuts to out years that never happen.  The bullet has to be bit, and bit now.  I would like to see more support for DeMint's stand.  I am likely to be disappointed.  But it is a debate that should be made, and there is only one viable outcome.

[Sectionhand]

Either DeMint is living in Fantasyland or he's demagoging the issue . He might just as easily filibuster for the second coming of Christ .    

[charlesoakwood]

Or the senate is living in fantasy land and he is trying to wake them up.

[Libertas]

The Senate has been delirious for years...spend that much time in DC and that swamp gas will eventually get you.  No wonder the younger/less tenured Senators are the few able to see the danger and take drastic measures to remedy the situation!