Congress refuses to grow up, handle budget issues

In Indiana, we are required to pass a balanced budget.  This means that every two years when the budget is made, concessions must be made to ensure that we do not spend more money than we take in.  Don't spend more money than you earn.  It's a pretty basic idea of managing your money.  Any of us with a credit card knows that if you charge more than you can pay off, you will end up paying quite a bit more than you originally spent due to interest.  And yet, this simple principle seems difficult for our government to grasp.  

As part of the debt ceiling compromise brokered this summer, both chambers of Congress are required to hold a vote on a balanced budget amendment.  A few weeks ago, the vote held in the House of Representatives fell short by 23 votes to pass as a constitutional amendment.  Since the balanced budget amendment is traditionally an issue championed by conservatives, one would expect that if the amendment was going to pass either chamber it would be in the House.  The Senate plans to hold a vote in the near future, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

The arguments against a balanced budget amendment merit serious consideration.  Our debt situation is both serious and deep.  To go from the kind of deficits we've been running to a balanced budget in a single bound could have drastic ramifications for social programs and taxes.  Everyone wants to cut programs—as long as it isn't one they personally benefit from.  And no one is thrilled by the prospect of paying more taxes.  While our spending problem and tax code certainly need to be looked at, perhaps this is something that would be better done in phases—or, better yet, voluntarily by legislators without the need for an amendment.

However, the time for a balanced budget is long past.  It's appalling that our debt has reached $15 trillion, with no end in sight.  We don't even have a good frame of reference to appreciate how big our debt is.  And yet, it increases with each passing year.  And voting down the balanced budget amendment looks a lot like Congress passing the buck, refusing to face the issue.  

The inability of Congress to get anything done is just ridiculous.  Perhaps with a balanced budget amendment, Congress would be forced to take a serious look at how things are done concerning our finances.  Real reform needs to happen in a variety of areas, but Congress has shown its inability to accomplish anything without a threat hanging over their heads.  

So, perhaps a balanced budget amendment would give them the incentive they need to look at the long-term finances of our country and work together to solve our financial issues.

The failure to pass the balanced budget amendment represents a recurring theme among members of today's Congress:  the refusal to make tough decisions and compromise to make tomorrow's America stronger than yesterday's.  It's time for our elected members of Congress to start acting like adults.