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Sen. Harkin: Nothing prevents Obama from using 14th Amendment
The Hill ^ | July 29, 2011 | Alicia M. Cohn

Posted on 07/29/2011 7:37:04 AM PDT by maggief

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) on Friday ramped up growing Democratic pressure on the White House to consider invoking the Fourteenth Amendment to raise the debt ceiling.

"Is there anything that prohibits him from doing that? The answer is no," Harkin said. The White House has been going about the idea the wrong way by asking whether the amendment legally gives the president the power to raise the debt ceiling without Congressional authority, according to Harkin.

Although President Obama indicated last week that his lawyers had looked into the legality of the so-called “Fourteenth Amendment solution,” he said they were “not persuaded that that is a winning argument.”

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney also made it clear in a briefing on Tuesday that the option was not on the table. “The Constitution makes clear that Congress has the authority -- not the president -- to borrow money,” Carney said. “And only Congress can increase the statutory debt ceiling. That’s just a reality.”

But Harkin called it “nuts” for the White House to indicate they would not consider the option. “It should be on the table," he said on the liberal Bill Press’s radio show.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 14thamendment; debtceiling
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1 posted on 07/29/2011 7:37:06 AM PDT by maggief
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To: maggief

Try actually reading the 14th Admendment Senator. Any sane judge would laugh in your face if you tried to use this Amendment to justify raising the Debt Limit


2 posted on 07/29/2011 7:39:31 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (Giving politicians more tax money is like giving addicts free drugs to cure their addiction)
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To: maggief

In that case Mr. Harkin, tell your buddy Ubama to go for it. Take that step, PLEASE?


3 posted on 07/29/2011 7:39:46 AM PDT by Howie66 (I can see November (2012) from my house.)
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To: MNJohnnie

so what a debt limit in the first place if the President could always do whatever the hell he wanted?


4 posted on 07/29/2011 7:40:27 AM PDT by ilgipper (political rhetoric is no substitute for competence (Thomas Sowell))
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To: maggief

I sure HOPE that the conservatives in Congress have the legal briefs all set to go to the Supreme Court with this issue. If the messiah goes for this lie of the 14th Amendment power to usurp Congress, he needs to be slapped down HARD and articles of impeachment prepared. The safety of the republic is at stake like no other times since the the 1860’s.


5 posted on 07/29/2011 7:41:09 AM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (The United States Marine Corps, your greatest friend or your worst enemy. YOU choose.)
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To: maggief

“I, (name of Member), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”


6 posted on 07/29/2011 7:41:38 AM PDT by ILS21R ("Every night before I go to sleep, I think who would throw stones at me?", she said.)
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To: maggief

bfl


7 posted on 07/29/2011 7:43:23 AM PDT by Outlaw Woman (Palin/Perry 2012)
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To: ILS21R

Advice from Iowa’s fake war hero...


8 posted on 07/29/2011 7:43:41 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Eh ?)
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To: Mr. Jazzy

Agree...

“”Is there anything that prohibits him from doing that? The answer is no,” “

Only the threat of Impeachment...


9 posted on 07/29/2011 7:43:52 AM PDT by RedEyeJack
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To: maggief

WOW! So Obama couyld have avoided this whole crisis all along?? I’ll BE Dawg! ;)


10 posted on 07/29/2011 7:44:20 AM PDT by tsowellfan ( Obamanomic Wreckovery - How's That Change Working For Ya?)
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To: maggief
These a$$holes could care less about our Constitution and the separation of powers.
They are blanking banana republic style dictator types.
11 posted on 07/29/2011 7:46:26 AM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (I love how the FR spellchecker doesn't recognize the word "Obama")
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To: Mr. Jazzy

I guess the supreme court could issue an injunction. This would be areal delema because it would hold the secretary of treasury libel for following the president’s orders and cite he stop. If he does not, he could go to jail for contempt BUT the zero could pardon him.

Meanwhile, aside from impeachment, what could be done to his excellency.

I hope they do go for it though because it would show the emperor to be exactly what he is.


12 posted on 07/29/2011 7:47:08 AM PDT by Mouton (Voting is an opiate of the electorate. Nothing changes no matter who wins..)
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To: maggief

Fake war veterans have nothing to say to anyone about anything.


13 posted on 07/29/2011 7:47:31 AM PDT by onedoug (If)
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To: Howie66

How many divisions does Congress have?


14 posted on 07/29/2011 7:47:57 AM PDT by jpsb
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks maggief.
The White House has been going about the idea the wrong way by asking whether the amendment legally gives the president the power to raise the debt ceiling without Congressional authority, according to Harkin.
Amendment don't do anything ecept permit (neceary) enabling legitlation. If Zero tries this, it will be a non-virtual "bring it on" ping to the entire country.


15 posted on 07/29/2011 7:48:19 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Yes, as a matter of fact, it is that time again -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: maggief

b.s.

if that were doable,

obama would have already do do it.


16 posted on 07/29/2011 7:49:44 AM PDT by ken21 (liberal + rino progressive media hate palin, bachman, cain...)
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To: Howie66
Sen. Harkin: Nothing prevents Obama from using 14th Amendment

Nothing prevents the citizens from using the 2nd Amendment.

Take Back AMERICA!
FUBO GTFO 2012 !

17 posted on 07/29/2011 7:51:07 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (Psalm 109:8 Let his days be few and let another take his office. - Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin)
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To: maggief

He is right, nothing prevents Obama from invoking the 14th amendment, but nothing prevents the market to view new and renewable treasuries as toxic as a result of a very constitutionally questionable action.

If he invokes the 14th Amendment, who is going to even consider buying treasuries without a huge premium?

Good luck with that option.


18 posted on 07/29/2011 7:51:08 AM PDT by GWB00 (Barbara Streisand barely made it out of high school.)
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To: jpsb

Sixteen, not counting reserves or special operations units.


19 posted on 07/29/2011 7:52:49 AM PDT by Ingtar (Together we go broke (from a Pookie18 post))
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To: maggief

He should invoke the 14th to take away the 2nd amendment, allow unrestricted abortions, shut down talk radio, and cover the moon with cheese.

It gives him as much right to do those as raise the debt ceiling.


20 posted on 07/29/2011 7:54:09 AM PDT by LostPassword
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