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Dear Editor: Instead of resisting a convention of states to propose a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, progressives should welcome this historic and nationally televised debate to talk about the $11.5 trillion of federal spending since 1998 that can't be accounted for.

The purpose of the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, the Government Management Reform Act of 1994, the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996, and the Accountability of Tax Dollars Act of 2002 was to ensure transparency and prevent a "black budget" from funding a shadow government. Most federal agencies comply with the law except for the Department of Defense, which can't properly account for over $5 trillion.

This is "fun money" that can be used for any purpose that unelected, unaccountable and unidentified agents want. Did any of this missing money pay for covert wars or other secret operations? It would be interesting to finally find out.

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, has a very simple proposition: "Run the money according to the law." As a provision of the Balanced Budget Amendment, let's insist that if a federal agency can't comply with transparency laws, it simply doesn't get funding.

$11.5 trillion amounts to over half of the current federal debt. Looking for money to forgive student debt or fund health care for all? This might make a dent. As an added bonus we could discover that we really don't need to spend as much on war creation as we've been led to believe.

Michael Spevacek

Madison

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Michael Spevacek: Progressives should welcome Constitutional Convention - Madison.com