Issue Position: Fiscal Responsibility

Issue Position

Under the principle of fiscal responsibility, the federal government should spend no more than it takes in, and only run deficits in very limited, specific circumstances. Washington should use reasonable budget projections to forecast future revenue and only spend money on its constitutional obligations. Budget deficits should require Congress to prioritize spending and make necessary cuts to wasteful, duplicative, and ineffective programs.

Unfortunately, Washington rarely, if ever, operates under the principles of fiscal responsibility. The current system is set up to spend too much and borrow more It is a downward spiral with only negative economic consequences.

Simple reforms like spending caps, deficit targets, and "pay-as-you-go" have proven ineffective at forcing fiscal responsibility in Congress. I believe we must operate under the framework of a balanced budget amendment so that Congress is unable to spend beyond its means unless it is truly necessary.

A balanced budget amendment would not dictate where we direct specific resources or tell the federal government where to reduce spending. Future Congresses would still determine our spending priorities. However, it would force Washington to act fiscally responsible way with those limited taxpayer resources and bring greater accountability to government.

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