As long as we’re talking about fixing long term problems, let’s try a balanced Federal budget.
Every amendment and proposal I’ve seen has no teeth. There’s no incentive except a “moral” one to contain spending. So let’s take a bite or two. Try this for a Constitutional amendment. And yes, it has to be a Constitutional amendment specifically so Congress has no power to modify it.
If Federal spending exceeds revenue in any month, then no Congress person nor any Congressional staff shall draw any Federal salary for the next month. These salaries shall be reduced and suspended, possibly forfeited.
The full amount of salary for the following month shall be permanently forfeit unless spending is reduced to below revenue within 27 days.
If spending is reduced below revenue, then suspended Congressional and staff salaries for that period shall be reduced by a percentage equal to how much spending exceeded revenue in the month under question. So if Federal spending was 125% of revenue, then all suspended salaries shall be reduced by 25%.
Reduced suspended salaries shall be paid not earlier than 90 days after the month of the suspension.
