Conservatives to GOP Leaders: Don't ‘Chicken’ Out, Back Balanced Budget Amendment
Thursday, June 23, 2011
(CNSNews.com) – ForAmerica, a conservative activist group, has produced a video challenging House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) not to be “chicken,” and to support the group’s “Cut, Cap, and Balance” pledge – cut the deficit, cap spending, and balance the budget.
The pledge would commit signatories to oppose any increase in the congressional debt limit (currently $14.29 trillion) unless substantial cuts in spending are made to reduce the deficit next year. Also, enforceable spending caps must be enacted to put the federal government on a path to a balanced budget, and Congress must pass a constitutional balanced budget amendment that permanently limits federal spending and requires a supermajority to enact tax increases.
The pledge has already been signed by 11 senators, 14 House members, and 16 candidates for federal office, including GOP presidential candidates Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
The video, which the group says will be sent to 1.5 million people via e-mail, begins by noting that “chickens tend to flock together, often following each other without a real sense of direction.”
The video then sharply criticizes the House and Senate GOP leadership saying, “Many chickens tend to find their homes in Washington, D.C. But Americans don’t want to be led by chickens. Speaker Boehner, Leader McConnell, all congressional Republicans, conservatives in this country didn’t elect you to chicken out on the debt ceiling.”
“This is a fight we can’t give up,” says the video narrator.
The video comes on the heels of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) – Boehner’s representative in negotiations to raise the debt ceiling – walking out of debt-limit/budget talks on Thursday after Democrats insisted on tax increases as part of any deal.
“Regardless of the progress that has been made, the tax issue must be resolved before discussions can continue,” Cantor said in a statement.
The pledge would commit signatories to oppose any increase in the congressional debt limit (currently $14.29 trillion) unless substantial cuts in spending are made to reduce the deficit next year. Also, enforceable spending caps must be enacted to put the federal government on a path to a balanced budget, and Congress must pass a constitutional balanced budget amendment that permanently limits federal spending and requires a supermajority to enact tax increases.
The pledge has already been signed by 11 senators, 14 House members, and 16 candidates for federal office, including GOP presidential candidates Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
The video, which the group says will be sent to 1.5 million people via e-mail, begins by noting that “chickens tend to flock together, often following each other without a real sense of direction.”
House Speaker John Boehner (R_Ohio), left, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
“This is a fight we can’t give up,” says the video narrator.
The video comes on the heels of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) – Boehner’s representative in negotiations to raise the debt ceiling – walking out of debt-limit/budget talks on Thursday after Democrats insisted on tax increases as part of any deal.
“Regardless of the progress that has been made, the tax issue must be resolved before discussions can continue,” Cantor said in a statement.
No comments:
Post a Comment