Question

The proposed balanced budget amendment discussed in the 1980s and 1990s would

a. require Congress to balance the budget in peacetime unless a supermajority in both houses authorizes a deficit
b. require Congress to pay off the federal debt, letting the chips fall where they may
c. require Congress to balance the budget except in wartime or recession
d. require Congress to balance the budget every year
e. require Congress to balance the budget in peacetime

Answer 1

The proposed balanced budget amendment would have required Congress to adopt a balanced budget in peacetime unless a supermajority authorized a deficit. It was part of an effort to reduce the national deficit, but it did not pass the Senate and therefore was not ratified as a constitutional amendment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Proposed Balanced Budget Amendment

The proposed balanced budget amendment of the 1980s and 1990s had a significant impact on the political landscape and discussions surrounding federal fiscal policies. The question at hand addresses what the amendment entailed. The correct answer is that the proposed balanced budget amendment would require Congress to balance the budget in peacetime unless a supermajority in both houses authorizes a deficit. This initiative was part of a larger push to mitigate the growing national deficit, emphasizing fiscal responsibility.

In practice, the amendment would have forced the legislative branch to not spend more than it collects in revenue, with certain exceptions allowing deficits. The proposed amendment passed in the House of Representatives but failed in the Senate by a narrow margin, never reaching the states for ratification due to the stringent requirements for amending the Constitution.

Discussions about the balanced budget amendment have persisted into the 21st century, continuing to influence political and economic discourse.