Tea and Promises (TEA says just do it)

www.slate.com ^ | Jan. 28, 2011 | David Weigel

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., arrived early at the first-ever public meeting of the Senate Tea Party Caucus on Thursday. Dozens of activists had trekked into the grand meeting room of the Hart Senate Office Building just to meet the senators, or to get their signatures on their pocket Constitutions. DeMint moved quickly through the crowd and walked right into Lisa Miller.

"We're really hoping that you'll present enough to balance the budget per annum within this year," said Miller, an activist from Alexandria, Va. "It takes $1.5 trillion, right now, to really start paying down the debt. But given that our spending right now endangers the general welfare, even though it's never happened in the history of our government, we should have the tools under our current Constitution, to preserve the union."

DeMint had never promised to balance the budget immediately. There were reporters watching him, ready to hear a brand-new policy statement. He avoided making one and talked up a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

"We want an amendment to balance the budget," he said, quietly, "because we're in agreement that we're going to bankrupt the country. … I don't know if it's next month or next year, but we're not that far."

Miller went right back at him. "We have a division here in the Tea Party. I don't support any of these constitutional amendments. I believe we have the tools right here, today, in order to preserve our financial strength, as well as our national security."

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Fantastic.

As much as I like my Senator DeMint, I have to say that Lisa Miller is right. A balanced Budget Amendment would be a fine thing and might prevent later generations from making the mistakes we have made. However, today we need to balance the budget itself. That should be DeMint's #1 priority.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Ping to the SC list.

[eyeamok]

Funny how they always want to amend the Constitution when they willfully violate just about everything in our Constitution EVERY DAY. Seems to me if we just started following the Letter of The Law (US Constitution), the problems would be solved post haste.

[MrDem]

Jim DeMint is the the Platinum Standard for US Senators.

My fellow democrats are really going to pissed about my endorsement.

[upchuck]

Jim DeMint, balanced (no pun intended) as always.

Jim DeMint Ping!

Want on or off this ping list? Just FReepmail me.

Follow Sen. DeMint on Twitter.

[goseminoles]

Then why be a dem?

[WVNan]

Our TEA party leader went to that meeting. He will report on it Tues. evening at our meeting.

[sefarkas]

Funny how they always want to amend the Constitution when they willfully violate just about everything in our Constitution EVERY DAY. Seems to me if we just started following the Letter of The Law (US Constitution), the problems would be solved post haste.

Another great post. There is a class of people in this country who believe simply passing a law will solve (all) problems. No thought to enforcement or practical implementation problems. The problem is behavior of the legislators. If the behavior is incorrect, then new people with new behaviors need to step in. The basic principal of spend less than what you earn needs no Constitutional Amendment. The Tea Party work to purge the Congress is clearly unfinished business.