Conservatives revolt over lack of cuts

thehill.com ^ | 2/11/14 | Pete Kasperowicz

[cotton1706]

Rank-and-file House Republicans opposed to their leadership's debt limit plan are brainstorming new ways to limit federal spending.

Even as GOP leaders seem intent on pushing through a debt-ceiling bill this week that doesn't demand any new spending curbs, several conservative lawmakers are pressing for new ideas.

A few Republicans are hoping to tie a debt ceiling increase to a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Late Monday, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) proposed legislation that would require both the House and Senate to vote on a balanced budget amendment.

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Crawford's bill is an attempt to put limits on congressional spending habits that have pumped up the national debt to more than $17.2 trillion.

On the House floor Monday, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said he could support tying a balanced budget amendment to the debt ceiling, but it would have to cap spending at 18 percent of gross domestic product. King also said he wants a supermajority requirement for any new tax increases.

"This would get me to vote for a limited debt-ceiling increase … a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution," he said.

Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) proposed suspending the debt ceiling for 10 years, and setting up new "fiscal sustainability" borrowing targets aimed at reducing the debt over that time.

As its title suggests, Barr's Debt Limit reform and Congressional Pay for Performance Act would require lawmakers to take a pay cut any time they fail to stay within these sustainability guidelines.

"It is no secret that the current debt-limit law is a failure that does nothing to actually limit spending or remove the threat of default," Barr said Monday. "It is time to stop allowing politicians to spend money today only to worry about how to pay for it tomorrow."

[dadfly]

just defund obamacare and defund obama, period.

[C210N]

a balanced budget amendment to the debt ceiling, but it would have to cap spending at 18 percent of gross domestic product...

I'm sensing a bit of congressional concern for competition with the Convention of States.

[chiefqc]

It took bonehead and slimy cantor 31 minutes to go from not supporting to supporting increases all blamed on their members not supporting them.

You just can not make up the total lack of leadership within this party, it seems that they do not even talk to the members.

They should rename the party from Republicans to Cavei Ins, Morons, Dummies, Rutterless Ship or Clueless.

[TexasCajun]

Stunning & sad that the headline isn't Republican Leader Revolt Over Lack of Cuts.

[DownInFlames]

This is how:

1. Replace bonehead
2. Win the senate and get a veto proof house majority
3. Impeach and remove zero
4. Start the defunding and sale of state propery.
5. Any bureaucrat who gets in the way is removed for violating the will of congress.

[goldstategop]

House conservatives pick a fight for what? Spending cuts are DOA in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Some people are just too stupid to learn from previous brawls over the debt ceiling limit the GOP lost.

And don’t forget that thing called the presidential veto! There is no point in pushing for spending cuts that will never make into law.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

A few Republicans are hoping to tie a debt ceiling increase to a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

It’s a trap! Did Reagan “balance the budget” in the early 1980s? NO! He cut the tax rate and expected the results that he got - revenue essentially doubled from trough to the end of his administration. But a “balanced budget” requirement can will be read as a mandate to raise tax rates.

Fight for spending limitation! Call it a “balanced budget” if you will - but require the government to live this year on the revenue the government collected last year.

And when I say, “government,” I mean the president, personally. Failure to hold the spending line must end the presidency of the incumbent, and end his eligibility for reelection. Declared war excepted - but a declared war should trigger term limits on the Congressmen who voted for it. (or something like that . . .)