Backing away from the U.S. debt precipice

Partisan brinkmanship in Washington is putting the nation at risk, says public finance fellow John Diamond, but Congress can use this opportunity to lay the groundwork for sustainable budget policies. In a July 18, 2011, Houston Chronicle op-ed. Diamond recommends moderately phasing in spending and tax expenditure cuts to minimize shock to the economy, then passing a constitutional amendment that requires a balanced budget.