Dear Eric Cantor,
It was a mistake for you to walk out of the deficit talks. You should have stayed in the room, that's what we're paying you for. And if you take the view that you work for Virginians and your Virginia constituents want you to secede from the deficit talks? Stop drawing your salary.
It only makes sense to get up from the negotiating table if you don't need the deal. But the country desperately needs a deficit reduction deal.
Yes, the Democrats want tax increases. "You want tax increases, we want constitutional amendments" is how I would play that. What amendments?
(1) Balanced budget - that may be subject to accounting tricks but still highly symbolic.
(2) Line item veto - time to correct our founding fathers who erroneously thought our representatives would be reluctant to spend our money.
(3) Spending override only by popular vote - the real check on Washington spending will have to come directly from the people.
I like that last one best. You want to increase spending more than 2%, you have to ask us first. No war or recession exemptions either, you ask us. Worried about your spending power being eroded by inflation? I guess we better not have any inflation. Want to make more room for entitlements by leaving more discretionary items to the states? Good.
You see, if we the people have to pay more taxes, we the people should get something in return. A popular veto on excessive spending increases will do it for me.
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