Cut, Cap and Balance

The Pledge
I pledge to urge my Senators and Member of the House of Representatives to oppose any debt limit increase unless all three of the following conditions have been met:

1. Cut - Substantial cuts in spending that will reduce the deficit next year and thereafter.
2. Cap - Enforceable spending caps that will put federal spending on a path to a balanced budget.
3. Balance - Congressional passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution -- but only if it includes both a spending limitation and a super-majority for raising taxes, in addition to balancing revenues and expenses.

Well, it sounds good.

Unfortunately, it is not an acceptable basis for negotiating the raising of the debt ceiling.  I mean, just imagine going to Visa or MasterCard and telling them you wanted them to raise your credit limit and that you would "cut, cap and balance" your budget in return.  I'm not sure which would hurt more; the deafening sound of them slamming their phone down or the peals of laughter you heard just before that happened.

How about we eliminate the deficit?  What happened to zero-based budgeting?  No, I do not mean zero-sum budgeting.  Zero-sum is how we-the-people deal with an increase in our expenses when we don't have a commensurate increase in our income.  I'm talking about zero-based budgeting for every aspect of government.  I'm talking about our elected representatives actually doing some work and making the hard choices on a regular basis.  No more 'budget' votes that only reference the amount of the increase.  No more calling an increase less than projected a budget 'cut'.