COMPACT FOR AMERICA

Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again under the same circumstances and expecting different results. For decades, Americans have tried to reform the political class in Washington by replacing one candidate with another or one party’s dominance with that of another. It hasn't stopped the Political Class from abusing their unlimited borrowing capacity and treating future generations like a cash machine for doling out favors, buying votes, an

From our skeptical, but fair, interviewers at the Gazette: "This is part one of a two-part interview with the president of the Compact for America, Chip DeMoss. Part two addresses the actual amendment to the U.S. Constitution they are trying to pass using a closed amendment convention."

Caruba: The Compact's proposed Balanced Budget Amendment "would ensure Washington cannot spend more than tax revenue brought in at any point in time, with the sole exception of borrowing under the fixed debt limit. It would force Washington to reduce spending long before borrowing reaches its debt limit, preventing any default on obligations; something threatening many other nations as well." Read more here!

Legislators across the Country are walking in President Ronald Reagan and Milton Friedman's shoes by sponsoring the Compact for a Balanced Budget. At a time when the national debt was a fraction of what it is today, on May 23,1994, Reagan wrote: “We can’t depend on Congress to discipline itself . . . we must rely on the states to force Congress to act on our amendment. Fortunately, our Nation’s Founders gave us the means to amend the Constitution through action of state legis

This article discusses the use of interstate compacts to advance Article V amendments to the U.S. Constitution. As always, The Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy initiatives. Any expressions of opinion are those of the author. The Federalist Society seeks to foster further discussion and debate about the issues involved.

There is only one plausible path to advancing a powerful federal balanced budget amendment from the states in as few as 12 months-that is the Compact for America approach. The Compact for America approach involves forming an agreement among the states, with simple majority approval from Congress, to simplify and safeguard federal constitutional reform. Just last session, the Compact for America approach to advancing a balanced budget amendment was passed by the States of Geor

The Compact movement is gaining traction across the country! Check out this abbreviated scholarly analysis of the Compact for a Balanced Budget, which was published by the Pelican Post.

Unlimited debt is the fairy dust that creates the illusion of limitless resources. It is the illusion of limitless resources that enables magical thinking about government. Dispel that illusion with a constitutional debt limit that is enforced by folks outside of Washington, and the political class in Washington will have to admit there are no unicats.

1. The core strategic principle that differentiates CFA from all other Article V efforts is that it is designed to be the rough equivalent of a ballot measure. It is not a black box dressed up with great intentions; it is meant to be a specific political product with specific policy content. This is why it prepackages as much of the Article V process in as few legislative moving parts as possible. We think this is the most plausible way to approach Article V for a deliverable