A constitutional amndment to balance the budget the solution to deficits?

[patslatt]

In the last general election,all the political parties were baying for more and more government services and benefits in auction politics. To save the electorate from being seduced by excessive auction politics and from politicians who want to let the economy rip to bolster their popularity,maybe a constitutional amendment is needed to balance the budget except during a recession.The accounting rules for government spending should be monitored an independent body,with the definition of a recession determined by the Central Bank and ESRI,not by the Department of Finance.

Such an amendment would help to get rid of our massive government financial deficits, which otherwise could burden the economy for decades.

Ireland could examine the experience of many US states with such amendments,some of which apply even when state economies are in recession.

[20000miles]

I agree. Also, the rule should apply especially when the economy is in recession, as that is preceisely when the government should minimise its role in the economy.

[Fr. Hank Tree]

To save the electorate from being seduced by excessive auction politics and from politicians who want to let the economy rip to bolster their popularity,

Electorate seduced? Oh FFS, the electorate are big boys and girls, pat. They should be able to tell when the things getting out of hand and the government is becoming irrationally exhuberant. They shouldn't need the constitution to act like some sort of nanny.

The fact of the matter is that the Irish electorate have a proud history of demanding and rewarding strokes and auction politics in elections. We need to grow out of post-colonial adolescence in this country soon.

[TommyO'Brien]

Absolutely not.

The constitution is not a nanny.

[youngdan]

The point is academic now

[wexfordman]

How about we make politicians liable for bad governence ? You know, for not acting in the best interests of the shareholders etc, like the bankers..... Oh....Hang on a sec...

[Hazlitt]

I would support a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget

[patslatt]

Electorate seduced? Oh FFS, the electorate are big boys and girls, pat. They should be able to tell when the things getting out of hand and the government is becoming irrationally exhuberant. They shouldn't need the constitution to act like some sort of nanny.

The fact of the matter is that the Irish electorate have a proud history of demanding and rewarding strokes and auction politics in elections. We need to grow out of post-colonial adolescence in this country soon.

The amendment would help save us from ourselves as the balanced budget requirement would help expose excessive auction politics for what it is,with the likelihood of an increased focus on realistic budgetary numbers.

[patslatt]

The point is academic now

On the contrary,the amendment would force the government to attempt balance the budget as soon as the economy came out of the recession. Of course,if the balancing attempt such as a severe cut in public sector pay and social welfare proved deflationery and caused a new recession,the balancing would have to be modified or postponed until the next recovery phase.

[Marlowe]

The amendment would help save us from ourselves as the balanced budget requirement would help expose excessive auction politics for what it is,with the likelihood of an increased focus on realistic budgetary numbers.

It's a fair point. The only problem is that the govt during the boom years might claim to have a balanced budget, but it was based on a revenue stream which was never sustainable.