Dems Want “Balanced Approach” but Not a Balanced Budget

Democrats continue to demand job-crushing tax hikes, which they call a “balanced approach,” but they continue their fierce opposition to actually supporting a Balanced Budget Amendment:

PRESIDENT OBAMA IGNORED REALITY, INSISTED WASHINGTON COULD GET ITS SPENDING UNDER CONTROL WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL REFORM: “Obama also shot down GOP calls for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, saying ‘we don’t need a constitutional amendment to do our jobs.'” (Sam Youngman and Alicia M. Cohn, “Obama: Public is ‘sold’ on tax increases in a debt-ceiling deal,” The Hill, 7/15/2011)

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION INSISTS SUCH AN APPROACH IS IRRESPONSIBLE, IGNORING THE ACTUAL SPENDING AND BORROWING SPREE THAT IS MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE: “A balanced budget amendment has, today and has always been, about ducking responsibility rather than taking our challenges head on. This is not — we don’t need — I mean, the Constitution should not be used to simply abdicate responsibility. What we need to do here is not complicated. It does not require a constitutional amendment and the ratification by preponderance of states here.” (“Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney,” The White House, 7/13/11)

LEADER PELOSI AND TOP HOUSE DEMOCRATS ALSO OPPOSE A PROMISE TO BALANCE THE BOOKS: “House Democrats, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Whip Steny Hoyer and their top-ranked member on the budget committee Rep. Chris Van Hollen, have expressed their opposition to the amendment.” (John R. Parkinson, “Boehner Blogs: Balanced Budget Amendment Sets Spending Restraints in Stone,” ABC News’ The Note Blog, 7/13/2011)

The Democrats have insisted that a guarantee to force government to live within its means is unreasonable and unthinkable, but the families and small businesses across America who have to do it every day beg to differ:

CNN POLL: 74% SUPPORT A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT: “CNN/ORC Poll. July 18-20, 2011: ‘Would you favor or oppose a constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget?’ (Favor 74%); ‘In order to get the federal budget deficit under control, do you think it is necessary or not necessary to pass a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget?’ (Necessary, 60%)” (Eric Zorn, “‘BBA’ still on the table,” Chicago Tribune‘s Change of Subject Blog, 8/4/2011)

FOX POLL: 72% SUPPORT A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT: “Fox News Poll June 26-28, 2011: ‘Would you favor or oppose a balanced budget amendment that is, an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to produce a balanced budget?’ (Favor, 72%)” (Eric Zorn, “‘BBA’ still on the table,” Chicago Tribune‘s Change of Subject Blog, 8/4/2011)

NBC POLL: 61% SUPPORT A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT: “NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll March 31-April 4, 2011: ‘Do you favor or oppose a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution?’ (Favor 61%)” (Eric Zorn, “‘BBA’ still on the table,” Chicago Tribune‘s Change of Subject Blog, 8/4/2011)

Ample warning signs are still being brushed aside by Democrat leaders desperate to protect and expand their spending and borrowing spree:

WASHINGTON DEMOCRATS KNEW FOR MONTHS THE RISKS OF NOT SERIOUSLY TACKLING THE SKYROCKETING DEFICIT: “The downgrade from S&P has been brewing for months. S&P’s sovereign debt team, led by company veteran David T. Beers, had grown increasingly skeptical that Washington policy makers would make significant progress in reducing the deficit, given the tortured talks over raising the debt ceiling. In recent warnings, the company said Washington should strive to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over 10 years, suggesting anything less would be insufficient.” (Damian Paletta and Matt Phillips, “S&P Strips U.S. of Top Credit Rating,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/6/2011)

THESE WARNINGS CONTINUE EVEN AS THE DEMOCRATS DESPERATELY FIGHT EFFORTS TO PARE BACK THEIR DISASTROUS SPENDING SPREE: “‘Everyone’s running to the fiat currency, gold,’ said Dave Kavanagh, president of the Grant Park Fund in Chicago. ‘The market’s telling [Washington] right now that we don’t think that you can get your spending under control,’ he said.”(Brendan Conway, “Dow Slides 5.5%, Ending Below 11000,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/8/2011)

BUT EVEN NOW, IT STILL SEEMS THE MESSAGE HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED: “President Obama did little to assuage investor fears Monday afternoon as he said that the S&P downgrade should provide a ‘renewed sense of urgency’ to tackle the deficit. Indexes hit fresh lows while the president spoke, and again afterward.” (Brendan Conway, “Dow Slides 5.5%, Ending Below 11000,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/8/2011)

Dems Want “Balanced Approach” but Not a Balanced Budget http://ow.ly/5YmBZ #madeinwdc