The Hill News

Senate Republicans have offered a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Writing in The Wall Street Journal recently, Republican Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) argued that a constitutional requirement to balance the budget would provide a long-term solution to the nation's debt.

If they are serious about getting it passed, here are some important guidelines they need to follow: (1) Frame it in terms of fundamental American values (2) Get lots of Democrats to sign on (3) Don't let the tea party take hold of the issue.

The ill-fated Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) provides a useful counterpoint. During the 1970s, the ERA fell just three states short of becoming ratified.

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