AUGUSTA, Maine - The road toward a federal balanced budget amendment passed through Maine today when one of its chief proponents appealed to state lawmakers to support a constitutional amendment for that purpose.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich met with Gov. Paul LePage and Democratic and Republican legislative leaders in an effort to build support for a resolution that would have Maine join 27 states committed to a constitutional convention.
But critics say the resolution is a radical plan that could have disastrous consequences.
For four consecutive years, Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich was part of a U.S. Congress that balanced the federal budget. But that streak came to an end in 2002 and the country now faces an $18 trillion deficit. He says it's a debt that can only be offset by a federal balanced budget amendment.
Thus far, partisan divisions in Congress have failed to spur any unified efforts to approve a balanced budget amendment. During a press conference hosted by Gov. Paul LePage, Kasich said he remains hopeful that Congress will act.
"But if they won't, the state legislatures need to step forward and say, 'We will,' " Kasich said. "After all, the framers were smart and they figured it out that the state legislatures could also call for amendments and that's what this is about."
Gov. LePage shares Kasich's goal of convincing seven more states to support the call for an Article V Convention for the purpose of calling a constitutional convention, something that hasn't been done since the late 18th century. If 34 states pass such a resolution, the process can move forward and ultimately become the law of the land with ratification by 38 states.
LePage says Americans owe it to the next generation. "I'm of the opinion that we can't afford not to do this, it's that simple," LePage said. "I mean, I love my kids and my grandkids enough to say we cannot afford to strap them with $25 trillion in debt. They deserve to live the American dream as we all have."
That all sounds good to the proponents. But Garrett Martin, of the progressive Maine Center for Economic Policy, says there are also unintended consequences that could result. For example, he says the government's ability to respond to changing economic situations could be restricted. And that could mean longer and more severe recessions that would trigger deeper job cuts and higher taxes.
Additionally, he says the convention itself could open a Pandora's box of constitutional changes that go far beyond the intended scope of a balanced budget amendment.
"It opens the door in a way that is potentially not healthy for the conversation we should be having in this country, which is how we're going grow our economy and get people back to work," Martin said.
Kasich says Martin's concerns about a runaway convention are not grounded in fact because of the fact that 38 states are needed to approve any constitutional amendment. He says that's a pretty high bar.
"The way things are going today, I'm not sure that 38 states would ratify Mother's Day," Kasich said. "The fact is that it's time to move forward and take some risks, if that's what you want to call it."
"He seems to be a nice guy with some bad ideas," said Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves. Eves is resisting calls for a constitutional convention to pass a balanced budget amendment. And although Republican Senate President Mike Thibodeau will sponsor the joint resolution to convene the convention, Eves does not believe Democrats will sign on because of the effect it would have on Congress.
"I think that what we know of it, it will lead to cuts in Social Security, Medicare, education, things that support our kids," Eves said, "so we're opposed to it for that reason."
Despite Eves' opposition, Thibodeau says he will continue to reach out to Democrats in both houses to build support for the resolution. And while there are Democrats who do not necessarily endorse the balanced budget amendment, Democratic Rep. Diane Russell, of Portland, says there's a growing number of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who would support a convention of the states to review the Constitution for the sole purpose of identifying needed revisions.
