Posted on 06/28/2011 2:52:34 PM PDT by reaganaut1
In the ongoing debate over raising the debt ceiling, one option has not had much prominence: whether the Obama administration could ignore it altogether, and just spend the money it owes anyway. Would that be legal?
Matthew Zeitlin at The New Republic spoke with a few political scientists, budget wonks and constitutional scholars who argue that it would be. An excerpt:
Garrett Epps, a legal journalist and professor at University of Baltimore School of Law, has made an even broader argument in a pair of articles for The Atlantic’s website. In an interview, Epps told me that there was a strong argument that the debt ceiling is unconstitutional because it exceeds the legislative branch’s power of the purse. The argument goes like this: Because Congress already appropriated the funds in question, it is the executive branch’s duty to enact those appropriations. The debt ceiling, then, is legislative “double-counting,” because the executive branch is obligated to spend the money Congress appropriates, without having to go back and ask again for permission.
Of course, ignoring the debt ceiling could have some severe political consequences, especially since most Americans do not seem to realize that doing so primarily requires making good on payments already promised, as opposed to committing to new spending. That may explain why most Americans still are against raising the ceiling.
(Excerpt) Read more at economix.blogs.nytimes.com ...
They are just ignoring every law.
And they have the NYT cheerleading.
America, she is done.
Kings of England had less power than that. Next thing you know, Chairman ObaMao can institute his own tax policy.
Hopefully Obama ignoring the debt ceiling is the final straw.
Final straw for whom?
Could Congress Just Impeach Obama If He Ignores The Debt Ceiling? (Tribune7 trial ballon)
The House would likely impeach and the Senate would likely acquit, or maybe as with Zero's other law-breaking, they'd just cut to the Senate acquital scene, doing nothing once again.
Does all that make it legal?
Oh, and then there's "We The People" with which to contend.
I don't think that'll go quite as easily as it did with the Senate!
HF
Do any of these so-called “constitutional scholars” ever actually read the Constitution?
Article 1, Section 8:
“The Congress shall have power to...pay the debts..of the United States;
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;”
According to the Constitution, it is Congress that has the ability to borrow money, not the Executive branch. So unless Congress authorizes the borrowing by raising the debt ceiling, any borrowing by the administration would be unconstitutional.
Not that it would keep them from trying...
He’s ignored to bloody many laws, what’s one more?
Obama usually ignores laws and whatever he wants. The “Debt Ceiling” is no big deal for him while pursuing the Cloward–Piven strategy.
sounds good, but no way the dem senate votes to convict.
I’m confused. Presidents don’t spend money. Congress does.
>>Oh, and then there’s “We The People” with which to contend.<<
Which may explain why he rides around in a “tank that looks like a car.”
HF
Obama could and by extension Congress ignore the debt ceiling, since Obama actually doesn’t spend money, but certainly the bond market will not ignore such a move
>>sounds good, but no way the dem senate votes to convict.<<
I’ve said since summer of 2009 that I do not believe Urkel will finish his term. I’ll add a caveat: There is one way he could, but it is along the lines of dictatorship, but a new hybrid for the new millennium. They seem to be pretty creative with that stuff.
That’s a really shocking and sad picture.
yes obama can ignore the debt ceiling of course that will assure he loses the election..........
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