so why didn't Cardin vote to accept the CAP, Cut and Balance bill?

Because a Balance Budget Amendment is a joke and is proposed as a cure-all only by people with no interest in governing.

Because a balanced budget amendment is a lazy person's option and is proposed by only those with no real interest in governing.

The ones "with no interest in governing"
are the ONLY ones to have ACTUALLY GOVERNED by passing a bill.

How much further can these Newspeak libs twist the English language to suit their twisted world?

I don't understand. When we vote to send someone to Wash to represent us aren't they bound by fuduciary law ?

Cardin: "We’ve cut this too close"?

Seems this vote thing was unimportant enough for Congress to take week off a few weeks back instead of taking this debt issue seriously.

Ben not to worry , i will take your job from you in 2012

The BBA is because history has proven that neither party is willing to balance ALL of the books. It does no good to tell us they will do the cuts, because they will ignore We the People once they are elected.

Ben I half to ask you, what to you feel confident in?

Who is we. The House passed a bipartisan bill. The Sneate hasn't done anything. Brian can't explain why states have balanced budgets in their constitutions.

Passing "Cut, Cap and Balance" (such a cute e law. If you think that such passage actually shows a name) was a pure pandering move; nobody who voted for it thought for a second there was any chance it would becomdesire to "govern" rather than just a desire to appeal to a base constituency then you have a lot to learn about governance.

It's fairly obvious to me that the conservatives only interest is beating Obama (not that he's much better) and I believe they will get their wish.

Ben what is it really you stand for , commenting about your lack of confidence just doesn't cut it. 20 years in the United States Marines, 3 years C.I.A, I was accountable for all my actions, not being confident was not in websters And I THANK GOD FOR THAT TRAINING

One thing I'am Confident in, Ben Cardin And Barbara Mikulski are clue less. That I know

"It's fairly obvious to me that the conservatives only interest is beating Obama"

Well of course! Isn't the Democrat plan to only keep him as President?

How much more stupid can a comment be?

"It's fairly obvious to me that the conservatives only interest is beating Obama"

Well of course! Isn't the Democrat plan to only keep him as President?

How much more stupid can a comment be?

Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski the last two years were consumed and to busy pushing Obamma Care down our throats.Cardin you and Mikulski were both confident about Obama care then . 2012 can't come quick enough,

The Peoples Republic of Maryland is run by employee unions...Federal, State, Local and Teacher's. The trillion dollar stimulus package that blew through the debt ceiling was a payoff to those unions. They were the only jobs "saved" or "created." The State could reduce it's workforce by 20% and no one would notice. The only thing Cardin is worried about is saving those jobs.

Anonymous, states have balanced budget requirements because their funding is largely derivative, i.e, U.S. monetary policy is detemined by the Fed, rather than the states. States do not set Federal interest rates or have the power to print their own currency. They can sell bonds, but little else. It's like parents giving a child an allowance, the child is pretty much tied to whatever allowance is staked. Rightly or wrongly, that's the deal.

As for a Federal BBA, I have two problems, one practical, one philosophical.From a conservative perspective, why do we need an amendment to force congress to do that which it ought to do, anyway?
Secondly, we are so &*^% deep in debt now that we need to pay a portion of it off if we are to survive. A BBA runs the risk of freezing the debt at it current levels or higher.

thanks for the lecture Obama.

Cap-thedebt ceiling
Cut spending
Balance the budget.

nothing radical about that.

blah, blah, blah. Ben Cardin What cuts are you talking about specifically. A lot of generalizations but nothing specific

First of all - all these comments from people that are Anonymous goes to show they are scared to let everyone know who they are.

I find that what has happened is that there is total gridlock in Washington because no one wants to get along together. It is like a bunch of kids in the sandbox that don't know how to share/compromise. No one can get their way and so it is important that they stop the posturing and actually get things done. I blame both the democrats and the replublicans. It is time that all these politicians learn how to just get along.

I for one would not mind paying extra payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare if it will help make it solvent. What everyone doesn't want to own up to is that many pension/retirement plans are built on the assumption that there will be social security. So the way to solve the problem is the raise the social security payroll tax, tax all wages, not just those that are below $100,000. Also, develop some sort of means testing that will increase with the CPI to lower the Social Security payments for those that are brining home extraordinary retirement income.

This country is being run by a few vocal voters on both sides instead of what Americans really want. I truly believe that the Americans I know are much more middle of the road then all the liberals or the "tea" party.

This man IS THE PROBLEM! Him and his babbling spitting buddy Babbs! These two and their Party, including Nancy "where am I" Pelosi and the most unqualified President in American history have brought this Country to the brink. For the people that comment here. Your kids will be paying for what these "hacks" have done. Instead of commenting, Cardin's face should be on a wanted poster!