By Tom Flanigan
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-965332.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos spoke before his chamber's budget committee today Monday. Tom Flanigan reports he was urging fellow senators to send a message of fiscal prudence to lawmakers in Washington, D-C.
The committee put its other business on hold for a few minutes while President Haridopolos rose to explain his proposed resolution.
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This Senate Concurrent Resolution Four' calls on the United States Congress to convene a constitutional convention on Article Five of the United States Constitution to propose amendments to the constitution to achieve and maintain a balanced budget just as we already do in Florida."
As with a number of other issues working their way through the Florida Legislature this session, President Haridopolos acknowledged this wasn't just a Florida idea.
"This is actually the language introduced by now-Senator Rubio, as well as Senator Cornyn and Senator Hatch and it would allow Florida to be the 22nd to move forward with a balanced budget amendment idea just like we do here in Florida. I think it's a common sense proposal and we're hopeful that Washington will listen to these ideas and move towards a balanced budget much like we have in Florida, so thanks for your consideration, Mr. Chairman."
This isn't the first time there's been a push for a constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget. Such efforts date back at least to the administration of Lyndon Johnson. The present effort has been in response to the recent rise in the federal deficit, estimated to be more than four-hundred-fifty billion dollars for this year's first quarter alone. Some economists, though, say that the ability of the government to run a deficit during economic downturns can help speed recovery. Economics, however, seemed to have little to do with the Senate Budget Committee's vote on the Haridopolos resolution. It cruised to passage on a purely party line ballot.