House Votes 234-190 to Pass 'Cut, Cap, and Balance'

House Votes 234-190 to Pass 'Cut, Cap, and Balance'

President Obama the day the House voted to pass "Cut, Cap, and Balance."

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 234-190 to pass legislation allowing for a $2.4 trillion increase in the nation's borrowing cap on a tea-party backed plan to require immediate spending cuts and a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget.  The bill will head to the Senate which will have virtually have no chance of passing, which the House Republicans already know won't happen.  Since the House has already passed the bill, the Senate is working on a plan which will provide President Obama authority to impose an increase on the debt without the approval of Congress and on the Senate "Gang of Six" proposal to supposedly cut the deficit by almost 4 trillion over the coming decade. 

As I've heard Rush Limbaugh use the phrase nearly two decades ago, the House vote is just "symbolism without substance."  First of all, the House Republicans know the Senate is in control of the Democrats along with the presidency.  In order to stop unconstitutional spending in the federal government, the House needs to use the arsenal that is at its disposal and that is the power to defund spending programs.  Why haven't the Republicans defunded Obamacare or eliminated pork-barrel spending, or eliminated needless government spending?  Evidently, it's not part of the plan or else they would be doing so.  The Republican leadership in the House isn't committed to eliminating wasteful spending, according to their actions thus far. 

Another problem I have is with the proposal of the balanced-budget amendment is that Congress already ignores the Constitution when it comes to spending matters or other issues.  One example is with the proposal Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made by giving President Obama the authority to increase the debt limit without the approval of Congress.  They invoke the Constitution only when it's at their expedience.  Consequently, our elected elite aren't committed to following the Constitution when it concerns the principles of government.  Let me ask this question:  Why do we need a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution anyway?  Over 25 years ago, Congress passed a bill entitled the "Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985."  This act was to require the federal government to cap spending and balance the budget when spending was out of control during the 1980's under the Reagan administration.  Did this measure force Congress to restrain spending and balance their budgets?  No.  Why should I expect anything different if a balanced-budget amendment was passed by both Houses of Congress and 2/3's of the states?  Congress refuses to abide by the laws it imposes upon itself.  They will always find an excuse to raise the debt ceiling and bypass any laws that require them to balance their budgets every year.  We already have enough laws on the books as it is.  We don't need more laws made, esp. on balancing the budget.  Congress will always exempt itself from being required to control spending.  This balanced-budget amendment proposal is just another example of symbolism over substance.