On_A_Balanced_Budget_Amendment <== PDF version The idea of
adding an amendment to the U. S. Constitution requiring a
federal balanced budget has been circulating since the Reagan
era. Although it was proposed a few times in Congress over the
years, it was never able to attain the required two-thirds
affirmation in either House of Congress, which is necessary
before any proposed amendment can be sent to the States for
consideration. But with the large budget deficits of the past 5
years or so, this concept is coming into fashion again. A recent
poll  shows that a large majority of Americans now favor such an
amendment. Advocates for a federal balanced budget amendment
argue two points. First, they point out that most states have
this requirement; the logic being, what is good for the states
is good for the federal government. Their second argument is
that the Congress would be forced to prioritize spending and
balance those priorities with tax policies necessary to meet the
revenue requirements. It is this lac