Any deficit-reduction plan will only be a road map, to borrow a phrase from commission member Paul Ryan (R) of Wisconsin. To actually get to the destination of stable or declining national debt will require Congress to have prudent budget policies year in, year out.
Policy experts argue that a vital step, to make that happen, is to reform the budget process itself, and the commission plan takes some steps in this direction. The plan calls for a "debt stabilization process," designed to force Congress to come up with plans that stabilize public debt as a share of GDP – and to cast fast-track votes on those plans.
Several Republican panel members argue that more budget reforms are needed.
