Changes

The '''Balanced Budget Now!'''(BBN), (officially registered with the IRS as Center For for State-Led National Debt Solutions'''(CSDNS), (dba Balanced Budget Now!) is a 501(c)(3) Washington D.C.-based organization "to educate state legislators, members of Congress and the general public regarding the dire state of our nation’s finances, and potential solutions which include a Balanced Budget Amendment proposed by Congress or the states via convention."<ref>CSDNS [http://csnds.org/ home] organizational website, accessed May 2, 2019</ref> Former Wisconsin Governor [[Scott Walker]] serves served as CSDNSBBN's "National Honorary Chair" while [[Loren Enns]] is the BBN's President of the CSNDS Board of Directors "as well as prime content expert and educational field operative for the balanced budget amendment (BBA) campaign." Many former Republican politicians and conservative activists additionally serve in positions of CSDNS BBN leadership.

Enns quit his job as a software engineer as he "grew alarmed about the debt over the years." According to the ''Washington Post'', 2015 was when Enns decided to "focus full-time" on the CSDNSBBN.<ref name=WAPO>James Hohman [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2019/03/19/daily-202-scott-walker-plans-to-crusade-for-a-balanced-budget-amendment-via-constitutional-convention/5c8fc3231b326b0f7f38f1b6/?utm_term=.bf5a0f21c6c0 The Daily 202: Scott Walker plans to crusade for a balanced-budget amendment via constitutional convention] ''The Washington Post'' March 19, 2019</ref> According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, the amendment BBN promoted is "an idiotic one." Backed by corporate interest such as the [[Koch brothers]], the plan BBN advocated for would mean "there would be less money for government regulation, so that corporations could pollute our environment with impunity, and break the labor laws with impunity, and engage in financial fraud with impunity" according to Matthew Rothschild.<ref>Matthew Rothschild [https://www.wisdc.org/news/commentary/6323-scott-walker-s-new-idiotic-job Scott Walker’s New Idiotic Job] ''Wisconsin Democracy Campaign'' March 19, 2019</ref> Robert Greenstein, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, penned an article in the ''Washington Post'' titled "a constitutional convention could be the single most dangerous way to ‘fix’ American government" arguing that the push for a Constitutional Convention is by "well-organized, arch-conservative group" is "dangerous, unknown territory."<ref>Robert Greenstein [https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/10/21/a-constitutional-convention-could-be-the-single-most-dangerous-way-to-fix-american-government/?utm_term=.da60a43e017e ] ''The Washington Post'' Oct 21, 2014</ref> Antonin Scalia opposed the idea on the grounds that "there would be nothing to stop a constitutional convention, once it convened, from taking up issues far beyond its original mandate, and tiny states like Vermont or Wyoming would be on equal footing with megastates like California and Texas," according to the ''Washington Post.''<ref name=WAPO/> ==Governors Debt Council Project==BBN's Governors Debt Council project is a group of current and former governors who "have pledged to use their position and voice to help achieve the adoption of a Balanced Budget Amendment in order to return America to a fiscally sustainable path."<ref> Balanced Budget Now!, [https://balancedbudgetnow.com/gdc/ Governors Debt Council], ''Balanced Budget Now!'', accessed January 2025.</ref> As of January 2025, the following are listed as members of the council:'''Current Governors'''<br>*Gov. Doug Burgum (R-SD)*Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT)*Gov. Eric Holcomb (R-IN)*Gov. Brad Little (R-ID)*Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN)*Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD)*Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE)*Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK)*Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) '''Former Governors'''<br>*Former Governor & U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA)*Former Governor Doug Ducey (R-AZ)*Former Ambassador & Governor Terry Branstad (R-IA)*Former Governor & U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)*Former Governor Gary Herbert (R-UT)*Former Governor & Congressman Asa Hutchinson (R-AR)*Former Governor & U.S. Secretary of HHS Mike Leavitt (R-UT)*Former Governor and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)*Former Governor & U.S. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)*Former Governor & U.S. Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry (R-TX)

The [[Committee for a Fiscal Responsibility Amendment]] (known as the [[Balanced Budget Amendment Foundation]]) previously was listed as an educational effort of CSDNSCenter for State-Led National Debt Solutions (CSNDS). [[Balanced Budget Amendment Inc]] was listed as a "sister organization" of CSDNSCSNDS.<ref>CSDNS [http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:j0ZTGuS9YgQJ:csnds.org/contribute/+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us Donate to Assist Our Educational Efforts] Cached version of an organizational website, accessed May 2, 2019</ref> However, according to the State Legislator's Article V Caucus CSDNS CSNDS is simply another name for the the [[BBA Foundation]].<ref>Article V Caucus [http://articlevcaucus.com/news/september-2018-newsletter/ September Newletter] accessed May 3, 2019</ref>

According to the New American, CSLNDS CSNDS is the new name of the BBA Foundation, and "while it is theoretically a distinct organization from the Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force (BBA Task Force), [BBA Foundation/CSNDS] President Loren Enns is the BBA Task Force campaigns director and four BBA co-founders sit on the BBA Foundation [CSNDS] boards of directors and advisors."<ref>C. Mitchell Shaw [https://www.thenewamerican.com/print-magazine/item/29820-who-s-behind-a-constitutional-convention Who’s Behind a Constitutional Convention?] ''The New American'' Aug 29, 2019</ref>

*National Christian Charitable Foundation: $2535,000 (2019; 2023)

'''<big>2023</big>'''<ref name="irs23"> Center for State-Led National Debt Solutions, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25507083-center-for-state-led-national-debt-solutions-2023-990/ 2023 IRS Form 990], organizational filing, November 11, 2024.</ref>*Total Revenue: $354,250*Total Expenses: $171,369*Net Assets: $169,676 '''<big>2022</big>'''<ref name="irs22"> Center for State-Led National Debt Solutions, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25507079-center-for-state-led-national-debt-solutions-2022-990/ 2022 IRS Form 990], organizational filing, May 15, 2024.</ref>*Total Revenue: $59,415*Total Expenses: $70,470*Net Assets: -$13,205 '''<big>2021</big>'''<ref name="irs21"> Center for State-Led National Debt Solutions, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2398041623980417-center-for-state-led-national-debt-solutions-20202021-990 2021 IRS Form 990], organizational filing, May 10, 2022.</ref>

As of September 2023January 2025:<ref>CSNDS, [https://balancedbudgetnow.com/leadership/ Leadership], ''CSNDS'', accessed September 2023January 2025.</ref>

* [[Loren Enns]] - President of the Board

* Former U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV* Gov. Governor Butch Otter

* Former Gov. Governor Ed Schafer* Karrin Taylor Robson, President and CEO of Arizona Strategies* Hon. Greg S. Casey, Sr.* Former Gov. Governor [[Scott Walker]], Former Hon. Chair

 '''* Former Advisors'''Senator Ben Campbell

'''Executive Committee''' (No longer listed on website as of May 2021)* [[Loren Enns]] - President of the Board* [[David Guldenschuh]] - Executive Director* [[Hon. Greg S. Casey, Sr.]] '''Fiscal Rules Working Group'''(No longer listed on website as of January 2025)<ref>CSNDS [http://csnds.org/fiscal-rules-working-group/ Fiscal Rules Working Group] organizational website, Accessed May 13, 2019</ref>