Should Congress Pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution? (with Kurt Couchman)

Should Congress Pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution? (with Kurt Couchman)

From Understanding Congress by AEI Podcasts

November 3, 2025 · 29 min · Episode 64

About this episode

The episode discusses whether Congress should pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution with guest Kurt Couchman.

The topic of this episode is, “Should Congress pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution?” The federal government experienced a shutdown in autumn 20025, which is one of many that have occurred in the past 20 years. The nation also has racked up about $38 trillion in debt, and Congress and the president have not taken real action to right America’s fiscal ship. So should Congress pass a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution? My guest Kurt Couchman says ‘Yes, it should.’ Kurt is the author of the new book, Fiscal Democracy in America: How a Balanced Budget Amendment Can Restore Sound Governance (Palgrave MacMillan, 2025). Kurt has been kicking around Capitol Hill for about 15 years. Presently he is a senior fellow at Americans for Prosperity, a group that promotes the principles and policies of economic freedom and liberty. Previously, Kurt worked for two members of Congress, and has had stints at the Cato Institute and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, among other gigs. He has spent a lot of time engaged with Congress on matters relating to federal spending and the budget, so I am delighted to have him here with us to discuss the idea of a…

People in this episode

Guest: Kurt Couchman

Topics covered

  • balanced budget amendment
  • federal government
  • fiscal policy
  • Congress
  • debt
  • economic freedom

Keywords

  • balanced budget
  • Congress
  • federal debt
  • fiscal policy
  • Kurt Couchman
  • economic freedom
  • government shutdown

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Americans for Prosperity, Cato Institute, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

Books & works: Fiscal Democracy in America: How a Balanced Budget Amendment Can Restore Sound Governance

Places: United States

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