Some Democrats See Wisdom of Balancing Budget

A balanced budget amendment represents a key plank of congressional Republicans’ policy platform. Now some rank-and-file Democrats in Congress are seeing the light on the issue, urging their leaders to support it, The Hill reports.

The worry is that, given the strong public support for the amendment, Republicans will be able to tar their Democratic opponents as fiscally irresponsible in the 2012 election.

President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress oppose the amendment. But moderate Democrats say that’s not smart, and that those at the top should support a Democratic version.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, has introduced such a bill. “Well, certainly if I was [the GOP], I would use this as a way of going after Democrats,” Cuellar told The Hill. “And this is why the more centrist Blue Dogs have come out and done this.”