Vern Buchanan Meets With Obama, Calls for Balanced Budget Amendment

A group of House Republicans met with President Barack Obama on Wednesday to talk about reducing government spending and the national debt. U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, the only member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee from the Sunshine State, was one of those Republicans and he hoped the two parties could work together to lower the debt.

"For too long, Republicans and Democrats in Washington have turned a blind eye to our country's financial woes," said Buchanan. "Doing nothing and repeating the mistakes of the past defies common sense if we're ever to remove the burden of debt that weighs so heavily upon us and future generations. I appreciate the president's willingness to keep the lines of communication open as we work to restore financial responsibility to Washington."

Buchanan, who has left the door open to taking on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, though he has done little to set up a campaign, also appeared on MSNBC on Wednesday and repeated his call for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

"The reckless pattern of borrowing and spending has put our country on a road to bankruptcy," said Buchanan. "A balanced budget amendment would force lawmakers to take a hard look at the programs they are funding and hold federal agencies and themselves accountable."