Posted on 07/27/2011 10:19:35 AM PDT by BradtotheBone
House Democratic leaders are calling on President Obama to invoke the 14th Amendment and raise the debt ceiling without congressional input.
Addressing the Democratic Caucus Wednesday morning, Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) the third-ranking House Democrat, told members that Obama should veto any short-term debt-limit increase that lands on his desk and use the 14th Amendment to hike the debt ceiling unilaterally.
“With the same pen that he vetoes that short-term debt-ceiling extension, he should sign an executive order invoking the 14th Amendment” to raise the debt ceiling unilaterally, Clyburn told reporters in the Capitol after the caucus meeting.
The Democratic members reacted with applause, according to Rep. John Larson (Conn.), chairman of the Democratic Caucus who also supports the 14th-Amendment option.
Clyburn said that move would “bring calm … and needed stability to our financial markets,” and he compared today’s debt-ceiling debate to the heated 1940s fight over whether to integrate the U.S. Armed Forces. Congress refused to take that step, Clyburn noted, leaving President Harry Truman to take it himself.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
This won't be the taxpayers money, this will be the "obama stash" we heard about. If obama wants run up a debt without Congressional approval, let him pay it off. Anyone lending into this debt should realize that and expect lose their money accordingly.
Ok, I’ll admit I was not familiar with the 14th ammendment. So I looked it up.
Shouldn’t this clause have eliminated John F’n Kerry from running for the presidency?
“Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”
So would usurping a power which the Constitution gives solely to Congress count as a high crime or a misdemeanor? If the Republicans didn't respond immediately with impeachment proceedings (even knowing it would die in the Senate), then they don't deserve to be either the first or the second party and should be swept in the the Whig-bin of history.
The Dems are gonna lose that anyway.
They better rethink their interpretation of our constitution because I’m sure it specifys congress’s duty.
It states (Section 4) that debt authorized by law are not to be questioned. They are legitimate debts. Only those "obligation[s] incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave" are considered "illegal and void". Thus it merely validates our federal debt as valid. It says nothing further.
The most significant section however IMO, is section 5 which states "The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article." The president cannot invoke any raise to the debt ceiling on his own volition. It is the duty of Congress to act; no one else.
So, what will happen if obama raises the debt limit?
Anyone?
My prediction: The debt limit in increase.
My oppinion: There will be a crash in my lifetime or I will die before it happens and that should be within the next 10 years.
... and the Republican elite stand firm to their delusion that they can negotiate reasonably with the Democrat Socialists ...
Let him. With Weepy McRINO running the house we are screwed till 2012 and we might as well accept it (not that we have to LIKE it) because short of an armed rebellion there’s no way to stop it. HE WILL SCREW US OVER AGAIN. All this crap will result in a livid electorate and lot less dems and RINOS come election day. They don’t think so, but I do. Put our anger and frustration toward electing people that WANT to fix America because the current crop, with a few exceptions, is a lost cause.
Am I happy about thinking that way? HELL NO! But that’s reality as I see it FWIW.
House Republicans: That's nice, Barry. If a second civil war or insurrection breaks out anytime soon, we'll be sure to resolve debt issues from it using the 14th amendment. And all that stuff about no compensation for slave owners, we promise to deny paying funds to any slave owner who requests money from Congress. Honestly, we do.
Obama: You better! And I'll be watching and won't hesitate to call a federal judge immediately if you don't follow the 14th!!!
House Republicans: Will do. Are you planning to invoke the 21st amendment next and lecture us about the repeal of prohibition to resolve the Afghan war next?
Yup..but 13 gives them a filibuster proof senate..
If they go this route, we will cease to be a Constitutional Republic.
Unfortunately, there is nothing any of us can do to stop them if they decide to do this.
:(:(:(:(:(
“Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
So where in the Sam Hell does it say that the Prez can bypass Congress and raise the debt limit all by his lonesome through executive order?
Of course, he can if Congress lets him. In fact he can declare himself King of the World and Admiral of the Ocean Sea if there is not “controlling legal authority” willing to stand up and stop him.
Obama will never do this. That requires him to take 100% of the responsibility for the action and he is currently desperately trying to get the pubbies to go along with him and share in the blame for whatever comes next.
For three years now, I have thought of Obama as America’s Salvador Allende. I now formally withdraw that charge. Obama doesn’t have anywhere near the cojones of an Allende, Chavez or Zelaya.
The Dear Leader is shrinking by the day. Every time he steps up to the podium he becomes less of a messiah and more of a figure of fun.
On cable now (not just FNC) the correspondents and congresscritters are openly saying that the whole point of this exercise is to cut a deal big enough to see Obama through the election season.
Tomorrow, they will be openly saying that the August 2 D-Day was chosen because Obama’s birthday bash is to be held on August 4.
That’s Impeachable, let Comrade Zero try it, and I’ll spend the next 2 years making sure he get’s his just rewards.
“he compared today’s debt-ceiling debate to the heated 1940s fight over whether to integrate the U.S. Armed Forces.”
What the hell does the debt limit have to do with integrating the Armed Forces in the 1940s? These people are crazy.
Your Post #16 is spot on.
You wanna bet!
“What the hell does the debt limit have to do with integrating the Armed Forces in the 1940s?”
When you are a Black Liberation Theologist, everything is a race-based problem.
“These people are crazy.”
And that’s their best attribute.
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