A high profile Republican political commentator is joining Mississippi legislators to urge support for a bill that would cut the federal deficit. MPB's Desare Frazier reports.
Republican Political Commentator Lt. Colonel Allen West, seen on Fox News is at the Mississippi capitol. He's talking about the nation's $22 trillion budget deficit. He says 49 states have to balance their budget. The federal government should too.
"When you continue to have a federal government that does not have to live like we live in our houses, you can't write bad checks. If you write bad checks, someone's coming to get you," said West.
West is with supporters of a grassroots movement called the Convention of States. The president, Mark Meckler, says they want to add amendments to the U.S. constitution that would require balancing the federal budget and term limits for Congress.
"We're also believing term limits on the federal judiciary and terms limits on bureaucrats. Nobody was supposed to go to Washington and spend their lives there," said Meckler.
The men are urging passage of Senate Bill 596, sponsored by Republican Senator Angela Hill of Picayune. It would make Mississippi the 14th state to join the group. The U.S. Constitution says they need 34 states to join to hold a convention about proposing the amendments.
"Overwhelming polling shows people support this, both parties, independents. We need to do the will of the people and pass this thing," said Hill.
But Democratic Senator Hillman Frazier of Jackson says the bill could hurt the state. He says for every $1 state taxpayers send to the Washington, DC, $1.88 comes back to Mississippi.
"We come out ahead, but if they go with a balanced budget, they're going to cut back on allocations to the states and Mississippi is going to lose because of that," said Frazier.
Last year, a similar bill passed the House and died in a Senate committee.
