Oklahoma Senate gives final OK to balanced budget convention (29th state!)

kfor.com ^ | 4/26/16

[cotton1706]

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Legislature has given final approval to a resolution formally asking Congress to call a national convention to consider adding a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The Senate voted 30-16 on Tuesday to approve the House-backed joint resolution despite concerns of some members that a national convention could be expanded to consider issues beyond the federal budget.

The Florida-based Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force has targeted Oklahoma and six other statehouses this year to push the measure.

[cotton1706]

A single-issue convention would be a great training ground for the states! They will become used to seizing back their power from the national government.

[cotton1706]

ping

[Publius]

For a Convention of the States to address a balanced budget amendment, the count is now 29 down, 5 to go.

[dp0622]

how many are needed for this thing.

[BobL]

I used to fear opening up the Constitution...now I think it’s the only thing that can stop this country from another civil war.

[dp0622]

and how does one cut a trillion dollars, without slamming SS and medicare.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Once called, I don’t think you can limit the convention to just one issue. The number of amendments will be limited by the conventioneers.

[cotton1706]

34

[dp0622]

thanks

[DoughtyOne]

Interesting how this comes around just as Trump becomes president having promised to balance the budget.

Forever it will be told that he only balanced it because he was forced to.

[Publius]

I never said that a balanced budget amendment was a good idea. As long as we possess the world's reserve currency, we don't need it, and it's a bad idea. If we lose the status of the world's reserve currency, that's a whole other kettle of fish.

The good thing about a convention to discuss this issue is that it would set the precedents necessary for a future convention to address a more reasonable topic or set of topics.

[Publius]

Read the article.

[dp0622]

good point. Balancing the budget would be great though.

[dp0622]

somebody already told my you grouchy ####.

haven’t had a date in a while?

[Publius]

The fail-safe is that 38 state legislatures (or state ratifying conventions, if Congress chooses that method of ratification) must ratify for any proposed amendment to get into the Constitution.

Extraneous or hare-brained amendment proposals will never get that degree of public support.

[Publius]

19 years.

[upsdriver]

I personally don’t give a damn about balancing the budget. My concern is keeping what I earn. A balanced budget amendment forced on a government that cannot control spending will result in ever increasing taxes. Cutting spending will never occur.

[dp0622]

12 here!!! lol

but now i’m in wedded bliss (afraid to add /s in case she passes by)

[dp0622]

Agreed.

didn’t Newt and the gang pass one anyway way back when?

Though some governors have slashed and burned very well to get balanced.

[huckfillary]

Read this. Balancing the budget is so easy college students can do it.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2013/12/05/balancing-the-federal-budget-so-easy-a-class-of-college-students-can-do-it/#11f0799f7bfd