To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Carnell Lamont Oliver, a resident of Jacksonville, Florida, writing to urge serious consideration of a coordinated strategy to restore fiscal responsibility and functional governance at the federal level and to consider the Principles-Based Balanced Budget Amendment (PBBA).
The Principles-Based Balanced Budget Amendment (PBBA) offers a constitutionally sound framework to address chronic deficits. Sponsored in the House by Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) and in the Senate by Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), the PBBA requires federal spending and receipts to balance within ten years, while allowing emergency spending only through a two-thirds vote of Congress. This design preserves flexibility without sacrificing discipline.
However, policy alone is insufficient without procedural reform. Senator Mike Lee’s proposal for a talking filibuster restores accountability by requiring senators to actively debate to block legislation. This reform limits silent obstruction, elevates transparency, and creates a viable pathway for advancing measures like the PBBA even when leadership resists action.
The fiscal consequences of inaction are not abstract. Persistent federal instability increases borrowing costs, constrains infrastructure investment, and shifts financial risk onto states and municipalities. Communities like those in Florida bear these downstream effects directly.
Momentum already exists. Coordinated public engagement and support from organizations such as Americans for Prosperity can help advance H.J.Res.110 and S.J.Res.97—but only if elected officials are willing to pair substance with process reform.
Questions for Consideration:
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Do you support advancing the PBBA as a constitutional mechanism for long-term fiscal discipline?
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Will you publicly support procedural reforms, such as a talking filibuster, that restore real debate and limit obstruction?
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What steps will your office take to educate constituents on how fiscal process reforms affect state and local governments?
Structural problems demand structural solutions. The PBBA, paired with procedural reform, presents a responsible and achievable strategy to restore trust, accountability, and fiscal stability.
Respectfully,
Submitted by Carnell Lamont Oliver
Published by
Renaldo C. McKenzie,
Editor-in-Chief, The Neoliberal