Balanced Budget On Edge Two Defect, But Supporters Close To Two-Thirds Majority

In a setback for the balanced budget amendment, two Senate Democrats who had been supporters announced their opposition on Thursday.

They were Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.

Even so, supporters said they were on the verge of assembling the two-thirds majority of the Senate needed to send the constitutional amendment to the states for a ratification drive.

Daschle’s announcement was expected, since he has been heavily involved in pressing Democratic demands to exempt Social Security from budget cuts and force Republicans to identify the spending cuts needed to erase the deficit.

“I support a balanced budget amendment, but I also share the belief that we owe it to the American people to tell them how we will do what the amendment requires,” he said.

Noting Republican rejection of all changes proposed by Democrats, he said, “They are telling the American people to put their trust in good intentions and to live with consequences that are yet unknown.”

Bingaman reacted angrily this week when the Republican National Committee began airing television commercials in several states - New Mexico among them - designed to build support for the proposed amendment.

In a statement declaring his opposition, he made no mention of the commercials, focusing instead on Republican refusal to repeal a House rule requiring a three-fifths vote to raise income tax rates.

“This rule will work to protect the wealthy from increases in income taxes, while letting the working families of America see tax rates on all other taxes they pay - Social Security, Medicare, gas and excise taxes - carry the full burden of deficit reduction,” Bingaman said.