Posted on 10/13/2011 11:54:38 AM PDT by mandaladon
If Republicans want to push even more Democrats out of Congress next year, one Democrat has suggested a strategy to succeed. The Hill reports that Blue Dog Democrats have begun to worry that Republicans will win the 2012 debate by backing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, especially with an electorate so skeptical of government spending. Rep. Henry Cuellar recommends that Democrats come up with their own BBA plan, and quickly:
Democrats in Congress are urging their party leaders to get behind a balanced-budget amendment (BBA), fearing that Republicans will use the issue as a political weapon in 2012.
President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress have spoken out against the need for such a measure, but rank-and-file members claim they are falling into a GOP trap.
Instead of speaking out against balancing the budget, Obama and the Democratic leadership should embrace a centrist BBA measure, some Democrats say.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who introduced a proposal that gained support within the conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, said he expects Republicans to use the BBA against Democrats on the campaign trail.
“Well, certainly if I was [the GOP], I would use this as a way of going after Democrats,” Cuellar said in an interview with The Hill. “And this is why the more centrist Blue Dogs have come out and done this.”
Cuellar’s correct about this, but he probably won’t get much traction from a leadership that wants to continue its deficit-spending spree. Barack Obama has hinted that Congress just needs a little self-discipline, a rather laughable assertion from a President that has offered a series of budget proposals that ran more than a trillion dollars in the red.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
The Blue Dog Democrats are now the Dead Dog Democrats. There is no conservative among them only panderers.
Would 3/4 of the states affirm it?
Article V of the Constitution prescribes how an amendment can become a part of the Constitution. While there are two ways, only one has ever been used. All 27 Amendments have been ratified after two-thirds of the House and Senate approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the states must affirm the proposed Amendment.
About time our side did something; there’s been a lot of silence from the House.
Oh, hell no. We don't want any.
Funny to read someone call Henry a Blue Dog. He is a BIG lib and supports Zero to the max.
I hear ya. Unfortunately he’s my rep and we can’t vote him out because this destrict has too many plantation latinos.
destrict = district
49 out of 57 states currently have a balanced budget amendment in their state constitution.
Given the mood of the country, how would any politician, of either party, be able to vote against a balanced budget amendment at the federal level?
BTW, where can I buy one of those new US flags with 50 stars and 7 Crescent Moons? allah akbahr.
Any “Balanced Budget Amendment” they would come up with would be riddled for exceptions for welfare, Medicaid, student aid, food stamps,UN contributions, environmental research, “or any other issue of pressing national importance which the President deems necessary”.
Pubs can call the Blue’s bluff. Ask them to join the Pubs NOW. Then say, put your info in our B B A. These Blues are fakes. If they really were conserv, they would leave the DNC types immediately. Un-elect them too in 2012.
I hear ya back. I live in Progreso Lakes. About 8 miles south of Weslaco. He is pretty entrenched.
exist because the people who work for a living
are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.”
Cuellar’s voting record was fairly good until the Dems took control of the House in 2007; prior to that he voted mostly pro-life and pro-military and wasn’t all that bad on economic issues (he got a surprisingly good score from the Club for Growth for his opposition to raising taxes and his support for free-trade agreements). Maybe Cuellar is going back to his conservative roots now that the GOP is in the majority.
Wasn't a vote on the balanced budget amendment part of that last debt limit deal?
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