WH discourages GOP balanced budget amendment idea

WASHINGTON — The White House sees no need for a balanced budget amendment, an idea many Republicans are pushing as a way to force the government to balance its books.

Spokesman Jay Carney says President Barack Obama believes that there's no need to amend the Constitution in order to cut the deficit. He says it is a way of ducking responsibilities rather than facing problems.

GOP leaders including House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell support such an amendment. Some Republicans say they won't vote to raise the debt ceiling unless it's part of the package.

The House is set to vote next week on a balanced budget amendment but any constitutional amendment would require passage by both houses of Congress and ratification by 38 of the 50 states.