July 29, 2011

From The Daily Caller by Alex Pappas

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson says he would veto any legislation that doesn’t balance the federal budget if he’s elected president.

The long shot Republican candidate for president made the promise to a gathering of College Republicans in Washington D.C. He also vowed to submit a balanced budget to Congress in 2013.

“I am promising to veto legislation that does not balance the federal budget,” he said on Friday.

He made the comments as members of Congress are furiously trying to pass a debt reduction package. Some Republicans are promoting a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget during the debate.

Johnson did admit that despite his promise, it likely wouldn’t get through Congress.

“You might argue that they’ll just override,” Johnson said of his promise to veto legislation, “well, I would argue that having been elected president of the United States, promising to submit a balanced budget, that’s what people really want, so I’m going to do that.”

“If Congress overrides — even if they do that — that budget will come closer to being balanced,” he said.

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