The Six Words that Describe the Compact for a Balanced Budget
Here are the six words that capture the essence of the Compact for a Balanced Budget: Certainty: The Compact delivers certainty by pre-committing 38 states and simple majorities of Congress to everything involved in advancing, proposing and ratifying a federal Balanced Budget Amendment before an Article V convention is organized. Safety: The Compact promises safety by limiting the Article V convention it organizes to a 24 hour up-or-down vote on a specific federal Balanced Bu
Democrats Support Balanced Budget Amendments Too!
Former U.S. Senators Paul Simon and Paul Tsongas are not outliers in the Democratic Party for supporting a federal Balanced Budget Amendment. There are many democrats who have taken the same stand: SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-OH): “Before I ask for your vote, I owe it to you to tell you where I stand. I’m for… a balanced budget amendment.” (Rep. Brown, “Where I Stand,” YouTube, 11/1/06) SEN. MARK BEGICH (D-AK): “It’s time to stop playing political brinksmanship with the budget and
30 Second Briefing
WHAT IS THE COMPACT FOR A BALANCED BUDGET? The Compact for a Balanced Budget is an agreement among the states that advances and ratifies a federal Balanced Budget Amendment in a single state legislative bill. It is activated by a single congressional resolution. In essence, the Compact pre-commits 38 states (the ratification number) to the entire constitutional amendment process in advance, so that a specific, pre-drafted federal Balanced Budget Amendment is voted up or down
Plausibility Defined: The Compact for a Balanced Budget
History shows the plausibility of surmounting the thresholds needed for the Compact approach to generate a limited government constitutional amendment. Here is a list of compacts that have secured 38+ states: “Agreement on Detainers” (National Center for Interstate Compacts, 2011); “Compact on Mental Health” (National Center for Interstate Compacts, 2011); “Compact on Placement of Children” (National Center for Interstate Compacts, 2011); “Driver License Compact” (National Ce
Speed: The Fourth Unique Feature of the Compact Approach
The differences between the Compact approach to Article V and the “legacy” approaches to Article V can be captured in four categories: 1) Certainty; 2) Safety; 3) Synergy; and 4) Speed. As you will see, the Compact approach is truly “Article V 2.0.” Today’s topic is… Speed Only the Compact approach can, in principle, deliver a ratified amendment in as little as one session year. The Compact approach essentially transforms the amendment process into a ballot measure voted on b
Synergy: The Third of Four Unique Compact Features
The differences between the Compact approach to Article V and the “legacy” approaches to Article V can be captured in four categories: 1) Certainty; 2) Safety; 3) Synergy; and 4) Speed. As you will see, the Compact approach is truly “Article V 2.0.” Today’s topic is… Synergy Some proponents of the legacy approach to Article V believe that the states are only eight or nine applications away from triggering the two-thirds convention call for a balanced budget amendment conventi
Safety: The Second of Four Unique Compact Features
The differences between the Compact approach to Article V and the “legacy” approaches to Article V can be captured in four categories: 1) Certainty; 2) Safety; 3) Synergy; and 4) Speed. As you will see, the Compact approach is truly “Article V 2.0.” Today’s topic is… Safety Unlike the legacy approach, the Compact approach recognizes that it is not necessarily unreasonable to be uncomfortable with relying upon the ratification hurdle as the sole safeguard against rogue amendme
Certainty: One of Four Unique Compact Features
The differences between the Compact approach to Article V and the “legacy” approaches to Article V can be captured in four categories: 1) Certainty; 2) Safety; 3) Synergy; and 4) Speed. As you will see, the Compact approach is truly “Article V 2.0.” Today’s topic is… Certainty All efforts to originate constitutional amendments from the States require the organization of a convention for proposing amendments under Article V of the United States Constitution. However, unlike th
A Compact for America to Fix the Debt
This year the Congressional Budget Office estimates the US Federal Government will spend $425 billion dollars more than it takes in. On the books, that deficit is projected to grow and in 10 years the total debt is estimated to exceed 22 trillion. In addition, off the books there are Social Security, Medicare, the VA and other programs that Congress has promised but failed to set money aside for. All combined the US Debt Clock organization estimates the total debt including t
Heartland Institute Covers North Carolina Compact Progress
CFAEF Board Member Dr. Kevin Gutzman observes: “This ball is rolling. Four states have adopted the CFA legislation. The first three states have now organized the CFA Commission, as per the compact’s provision. Five other states have passed the bill through one house of their legislatures. Several other states are on track to act soon.” Click on the banner for the entire article. #compactforamericacorepriniciples
