Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
Frank Aucompaugh
Helms School of Government, Liberty University
PADM 600-B02, Politics and Policy of Public Sector Budgeting
Shelley Taylor
May 22, 2022
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Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
Abstract
The United States when our founders were constructing the United States Constitution
knew that limited government is an essential element to preserving democracy and not have
power fall into the hands of a few. The future of the United States hinges on how we will control
the budget and what our leaders are willing to do to fix this problem of overspending on
programs for their constituents and the interest groups. This paper will look at what the role of
limited government is and what the constraints are to spending and organizing a budget on time.
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Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
Introduction
The United States when our founders were constructing the United States Constitution
knew that limited government is an essential element to preserving democracy and not have
power fall into the hands of a few. Our country was founded on principles of faith and the
direction that God wants us to turn to tend the Earth and all of creation. While we the people are
all subject to the government authorities which was instituted by God (Romans 13:1, ESV), the
Lord loves justice and righteousness, and people are to exercise this as individuals just as civil
rulers (Psalms 11:11, ESV). As the beginning of the Constitution states, “We the People,” this
means that the people are responsible for the good of the whole country and those elected
representatives are there to ensure that The People are taken care of. The founders knew that
there needed to be limited government with the many checks and balances written into the
Constitution both horizontal and vertical which occurs through the three branches of government
and the levels of government from federal, state, and local governments. Our representatives
have the obligation to adequately represent all the people which can be difficult with the division
with numerous issues at hand and funding limited because of taxation. Budgeting and spending
are at the forefront of the proper role of government and how much to spend of the people’s
money. This paper will look at how the role of a Constitutionally limited government has on the
effects of budget and spending policies and the possibility of adding a balanced budget
amendment to the United States Constitution.
Limited Government
Our founders went to countless ends to ensure that government would not become
tyrannical and have too much power wielded in the hands of a few. The Declaration of
Independence helps to spell out what the First Continental Congress and founders were saying.
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Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
Those rights given to us by God are secured and governments are instituted among men but only
those powers are derived from the consent of the governed (Declaration of Independence, 1776).
These basic rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are those that cannot be taken
away which are given to us by God. In terms of limited government, it is where the government
cannot intervene in the lives and activities of the people. The idea of limited government
permeates throughout the entire Constitutions from the separation of powers to the first
amendment which guarantees our rights to freedom of religion, press, and assembly to the tenth
amendment which limits federal authority and delegates that power to the states.
Constraints on Budgeting and Spending
As Rubin (2020) points out the most important constraint and difficult task for budgeting
is the requirement to have a balanced budget. When it comes to budgeting and spending,
Congress and specifically the House of Representatives is the only place where appropriations
can originate and then confirmed by the Senate, later signed by the President which is in the
executive branch (U.S. Constitution, Art 1, Sec 7, para 1 and 2). Rubin also explains that there
are many actors in public budgeting which constrains some areas of spending over others, not
like a family or private budgets where everyone is usually on the same page about expenditures
(Rubin, 2020). There is more accountability in public budgeting with more eyes on where money
is going and for what purposes. The political nature of public budgeting says it all with the
constraints that are involved in fashioning and implementing a budget before the current fiscal
year ends. As Arroja, R and Camoes, P (2022) point out that public budgeting is both complex
and requires a delicate relationship with the amount to tax Americans and balancing politicians
and interest groups wants and needs. Yogi Vidyattama, Wahyu Sutiyono & Sugiyarto (2022) also
points out that election promises, poor political interaction, and lengthy bargaining process slow
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Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
the budget process because there is not just one representative but numerous representatives that
are trying to keep their word to their constituents. The balance of competing balance is the key
and making trade-offs work both parties or groups involved in an area that citizens would like to
see change or more involvement and funding.
Balanced Budget Amendment
A balanced budget amendment is exactly what needs to be installed to keep the spending
under control and limit interest groups from influencing what they feel needs to on the agenda.
No person would spend more money of their own, so there should be no reason why our
representatives spend more of the taxpayer’s money. This balanced budget amendment is the
accountability and explains limited government.
Christian Worldview
The Bible and natural law tell us that there is an inherent sense of right and wrong
(Kahlib, Fischer, 2013). God is the one who reigns supreme of all including the city, state, and
federal governments. God instituted government to be carried out by men to do His work and
submit to the governing authorities. The organizational structure options from a biblical perspective
come from the Hebrew term Hesed which is translated as “loving fulfillment of covenant obligation”
because love and duty are intertwined (Fischer, 2010). This very notion that provides a healthy
organization because our attitude represents how we will care for our customer’s, our team, but also our
leadership (Fischer, 2010). There must be mutual accountability between all levels and processes that
occur in an organization to make those rational and thoughtful decisions that centers on our duty as
Christians. 1 Corinthians 14:40 says this, “Let all things be done decently and in order (KJV).” Matthew
5:14-16 tells us that we are the light of the world and cannot be hidden, that we are to be put on a stand to
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Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
give light to all. A good illustration of this is that we are to gather and grow together, to serve others, and
share our faith (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42) and be involved in service (1 Corinthians 12).
Conclusion
In summary, government spending is astronomical and needs to be reeled in. Dealing
with the ever-growing debt and complicated budget process is even more reason to have enact an
amendment to the United State Constitution. How we make decisions and come together will
make the work of God that much better.
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Limited Government and Balanced Budget Amendment
References
Arroja, R., & Camões, P. J. (2022). What are policymakers waiting for? How trustworthy
government can sooth tax instability and expenditure arrears. Governance, 35( 2), 661–
671. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1111/gove.12665
Fischer, Kahlib. (2013). Biblical Principles of Government.
https://learn.liberty.edu/bbcswebday/pid-24270999-dt-content-
rid294497523_1/courses/PADM550
Rubin, I. S. (January 2019). The Politics of Public Budgeting, 9th Edition. [VitalSource
Bookshelf 10.1.0]. Retrieved from vbk://9781544357836
Yogi Vidyattama, Wahyu Sutiyono & Sugiyarto (2022) Factors of Budget Delay: Local
Government Capacity, Bargaining and Political Interaction in Indonesia, Bulletin of
Indonesian Economic Studies, 58:1, 55-77, DOI: 10.1080/00074918.2020.1812515
