| Women and Children First--But the "Lifeboats" Won't Be Waiting |
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A disproportionate number of recipients of federal life-saving programs are
women and children. The BBA puts those programs in danger (Older Women's League).
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| Education Funding and the BBA |
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When citizens were directly asked if they would support a balanced budget
constitutional amendment that reduces funds for education, nearly 70%
said no (Committee on Education Funding).
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| Implications for Agriculture |
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Family farmers and rural areas will be much harder hit than most
sectors and regions by the deep, abrupt budget cuts and new parliamentary
procedures that will come about with adoption of a constitutional amendment to
balance the budget (Environmental Working Group).
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| Perils Without Purpose |
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The BBA would make recessions longer and more painful, give
politicians an excuse to cut Social Security and Medicare, and make it
more difficult to invest in our children and protect our natural environment
(Ron Pollack, Families USA).
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| ADA Legislative Alert |
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It is highly ironic that the most vigorous supporters of the
BBA are the very same political figures who helped drive the federal
deficit to unprecedented peacetime heights during the Reagan/Bush
Administrations (Americans for Democratic Action).
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| Common Cause Letter to Washington |
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This proposal trivializes our basic charter and thus threatens to
substitute cynicism for the honor and respect of the people, upon which the
vitality of the Constitution depends (Common Cause).
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| Protect Social Security |
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The U.S. Treasury Department estimates that such a
constitutional requirement could result in an out of pocket
cost of up to $1,100 per year for the average Social
Security beneficiary (NCPSSM).
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| The Balanced Budget Farce |
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To mandate a balanced budget in times of
economic decline would make a weak economy even weaker (OMB Watch).
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| Constitutional Assault |
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Like Prohibition, the BBA would undermine the
Constitution's intent by blurring the line between higher law and
politics (OMB Watch).
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| A Fool's Budget |
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In a column that appeared in The Washington Post on Jan. 7, E.J. Dionne
Jr. explains why the balanced budget amendment is a bad idea. |
| Other Resources |
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A wealth of good information on the BBA and its dangers is available
on the web. Check it out. |