Open Letter to Senator Mitch McConnell on Cut cap and Balance bill McConnell regarding

Open Letter to Senator Mitch McConnell Regarding Cut Cap Balance July 13, 2011 | Cut Cap Balance Coalition The Honorable Mitch McConnellSenate Republican Leader United States Senate Washington, DC Dear Leader McConnell: On behalf of our coalition of over 70 outside groups, greater than 150 Tea Party organizations and more than 180,000 citizens who have signed our Cut Cap Balance pledge, we are writing to inform you that we strongly oppose the so-called “contingency plan” introduced Wednesday. It is unacceptable to our coalition, and we will do everything we can to ensure that it is defeated. Rather than empowering the executive branch to use its discretion to propose its favorite spending cuts, Congress should pass the Paul-Toomey-Lee Cut Cap and Balance bill (S. 1340), which has 18 additional Senate cosponsors and would raise the debt limit, but only if Congress first sends a Balanced Budget Amendment to the states. State ratification of that amendment would allow voters in the 50 states to weigh in, as the founders intended, to make the ultimate determination of whether the federal government should be required to balance its budget. By transferring the authority of Congress to determine spending and borrowing levels to the Executive branch, it turns on its head the very separation of powers that lies at the heart of our Constitution. Such a plan also virtually guarantees three separate debt increases, with little likelihood of passing necessary spending reforms. This is tantamount to unilateral surrender and abdication of responsibility. It is precisely the kind of Washington gimmick that the public distrusts. Furthermore, it fails to achieve the permanent solution to overspending and borrowing that current circumstances demand. We cannot accept granting President Obama $2.5 trillion in new debt with no enforceable reform requirements. Doing so is not in America’s best interest and would increase the possibility of an even more serious debt crisis. The time for half measures and secret negotiations has ended. We urge you to immediately throw your support behind S. 1340, the “Cut, Cap, and Balance Act” introduced last week by Senators Paul, Toomey and Lee, which had 18 Senate cosponsors on introduction. We urge Speaker Boehner to support companion legislation in the House as soon as possible. These measures include substantial cuts, a statutory spending cap, and a debt limit increase that would only take effect once a balanced budget amendment has been passed and sent to the states. Unlike the proposal made today, such legislation would satisfy the public’s demand for permanent reform and an end to reckless borrowing and overspending. Sincerely, The Members of the Cut, Cap, Balance Coalition (Full list at www.CutCapBalancePledge.com. Not every Member has had the opportunity to expressly approve this letter.) cc: The Honorable John Boehner

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