U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft has promised to push hard for passage of a balanced-budget amendment, but conceded the votes aren't yet there in the Senate.
"There is no question in my mind that there are 60 votes," he said, "but the next seven, we will have to work hard to get."
Ashcroft spoke Saturday during a break at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant where he served coffee as part of his "working side-by-side with Missourians" program.
"This is not a done deal on the balanced-budget amendment," he said.
The amendment has already passed the House and needs a two-thirds vote in the Senate to be sent to the states for ratification.
Ashcroft said in the last election voters acknowledged they believe government is out of control, and requiring a balanced budget will help bring it back under control.
"For too long Congress has assembled to satisfy the appetites of narrow special interests at the expense of the public," he said. "People are tired of a Congress that spends the yet unearned wages of the next generation."
Ashcroft also met briefly with the Cape Chamber of Commerce governmental affairs committee, which was meeting at Cracker Barrel.
The senator told them to be wary of Democratic "terror tactics" being used to raise opposition to the amendment.
Cape Chamber President John Mehner told the senator the chamber supports the amendment, but would like to know where cuts will be made to balance the budget. Another concern Mehner had was that the amendment wouldn't require dramatic tax increases.
Ashcroft said he believes Americans realize the amendment would cause some major cuts and are willing to accept them in return for bringing spending under control.
By reducing the deficit, Ashcroft said interest rates could drop by 2 to 4 percent, which would help businesses, state and local governments.
"It would be like revenue sharing to the states when their cost of debt goes down by 2 to 4 percent," he said, adding: "The upside of the balanced-budget amendment is economic vitality."
The senator said he is a strong advocate of giving states more authority on how to spend federal funds on programs like Medicaid and welfare reform.
Ashcroft said he trusts the states to find more efficient ways to do those programs.
"We should turn the states loose to make decisions," he said.
Under the current system, he said the federal government tries to micro manage programs, which only drives up costs. Ashcroft said it makes no difference if the micro management is being done by liberal or conservative officials, it still drives up costs.
Ashcroft predicted that Congress would continue an aggressive agenda, designed to follow the mandate of the voters last year that Washington should change the way it does business.
So far, legislation has been passed requiring Congress to live by the same rules that apply to the rest of the country, and to end the practice of imposing the cost of federal mandates on the states.
Ashcroft said a balanced-budget amendment is the logical next step.
After working with employees at Cracker Barrel, Ashcroft went on to Carthage where he unloaded dairy products and then to Springfield where he worked with tax accountants.
Ashcroft, who worked in various jobs during the campaign, plans to continue the practice as senator to help him stay in touch with average citizens in the state.
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