Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Helena today, joined by Gov. Greg Gianforte, to launch a campaign for a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution. Even though it’s a long shot, requiring a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate, three-quarters of the states must ratify it. Last time we did a Constitutional amendment, it took 186 years to eventually ratify. That, too, was a money issue, requiring that any raise in pay for members of Congress take effect only after they were re-elected.
Govs. Gianforte and DeSantis say Congress needs some guardrails – spending “like drunken sailors.” Along with the efforts of DOGE they say that currently there is nothing to prevent Congress from just adding more spending once Musk’s work is done.
The Constitution contains no limit on Congressional borrowing and, despite the Budget Control Act of 1974, Congress hasn’t passed an annual budget on time in nearly 30 years.
