Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch says Democrats have “no appetite” for a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget and they “can’t subsist” without spending taxpayer money. Hatch also told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren Tuesday it would be “miraculous” if a bill he sponsored on an amendment, scheduled to come up for a vote today, is passed.
“They not only don’t have an appetite, they can’t subsist without spending your money — that is the way they keep themselves in power.” Hatch said of congressional Democrats. “They claim and take your money, and taxpayer’s money, and they spend it and claim they are compassionate with your money. They are big spenders and want more taxes so they can spend more.”
Van Susteren asked Hatch — who had voted to balance the budget every time it has come to the congressional floor since he joined Congress in 1977 — whether the bill has a chance.
“It would be miraculous if we did — we have all 47 Republicans for the first time, but we’d need 20 Democrats,” Hatch said. “And the Democrats keep themselves in power by spending your money and claiming they are compassionate.”
The Fox host then asked Hatch where he thought President Barack Obama stands on a constitutional amendment to balance the budget.
“He is opposed to it naturally because it would put a crimp on all the spending they’re doing — if you look what he is calling for — more and more taxes,” Hatch said. “He’s dividing classes, demanding the taxes and he knows there are 750,000 business leaders that would be hit by that. He is never going to [go] for a balanced budget amendment.
“We just had the Democrat Budget Committee chairman talk about all the calamities that will occur if we stop their spending and taxing, and what we need to do is get together and do what is right,” he said. “They have had 60 votes here and [had] control of the House and didn’t do one thing about trying to get spending under control. In fact spending took off like a rabbit being shot at by a shotgun — they are not sincere about getting things under control.”
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