Dems Talks Big on Balanced Budget, But Will They Finally Vote to Stop Spending Money We Don’t Have?
FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Dan Boren (OK-02), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), David Cicilline (RI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Jerry Costello (IL-12), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Mike Ross (AR-04), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), David Wu (OR-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Arkansas Blue Dog Democrat Says He Supports a Balanced Budget Amendment, But His Party Leaders Are Demanding Otherwise
Washington — As efforts begin in Congress to restore some common-sense spending principles to Washington with a balanced budget amendment, it remains to be seen whether Mike Ross and his fellow Blue Dog Democrats will actually act on their promises of fiscal responsibility. Although Ross has joined his fellow Democrats in supporting their limitless spending and borrowing, he now has the opportunity to support a balanced budget amendment so that the government will finally stop spending money it doesn’t have. If Arkansas families and small businesses can balance their budgets, why can’t Mike Ross?
“Although Mike Ross and his fellow Blue Dogs are usually more bark than bite on fiscal responsibility, they now have their chance to follow through on their promises to support the balanced budget amendment,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Ross should back efforts to have the government in Washington act responsibly and live within its means like middle-class families and small businesses in Arkansas do already, even though his Democrat leaders are insisting he fall in line and oppose efforts to curb their spending binge. After supporting the Democrats’ endless spending and borrowing sprees which have left future generations worse off and indebted to foreign countries like China, the least Ross can do is finally live up to the principles he has falsely claimed to live by.”
The House will vote next week on an amendment that will stop the endless spending and borrowing and force Washington to live within its means:
The Blue Dog Democrats have made the balanced budget amendment a large part of their budget platform:
And voters overwhelmingly support a balanced budget amendment:
Despite this, House Democrat Whip Steny Hoyer will be encouraging his caucus to vote against the common-sense budget provision:
After embarking upon a spending spree that sent this country trillions of dollars further into debt, Mike Ross and his fellow Blue Dog Democrats should at least support a balanced budget amendment like they promised. Although Ross and his Blue Dog colleagues are facing enormous pressure from their Democrat leaders to protect their spending and borrowing spree, his Arkansas constituents know now is the time to start taking meaningful steps to fundamentally change the way business is done in Washington.