I saw that story the other day and I think it's f'ing brilliant! there is no ambiguity in how it's written, and the Dems/Obama should make announcement they are going to follow the constitution in this regard to the letter..
of course, like everything else when Obama agree with it, the Tea party will then start to demand we tear up that old piece of parchment because the founding fools didn't know what they were doing, so it's time to write a new one.. and then the GOP can run on a 'I will re-write the constitution' platform..
If anything it should be used as a bargaining tool to get them off their asses and release the hostage that is our country.
They are, however, getting rightfully
scared:Later today, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) will introduce a ‘sense of the Senate’ resolution that says the president does not have the authority to sidestep the debt ceiling, which is set to expire in August.
“I strongly disagree with those who suggest the president has the unilateral authority to put the American people in even great levels of debt,” Graham says in a statement. “Every time the debt ceiling has been raised it has been through an act of collaboration between the president and Congress. That is not only the right policy decision to make, but the correct political decision as well. We have a president, not a king. Our resolution puts the Senate on record that any debt-limit increase, today or in the future, should be passed by the Congress and signed by the President.”
Of course, he couldn't be more wrongo...there is NO COLLABORATION between the two parties...we have one side offering substantial concessions (the Democrats) and we have another side saying "Do it our way." (the Republicans). If Obama (rightly) invokes the 14th amendment, they're screwed and will be made to look like the idiots they are to the nation.
So, they're sooooo scared they're now talking
impeachment:While some have asserted that the debt limit might be unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment, and therefore President Obama does not need congressional approval to raise it, Republicans have been quick to express skepticism over the idea. On Tuesday, a Republican congressman went a step further, saying that if Obama were to use that argument to bypass Congress on the issue, it would be an impeachable offense.
"This president is looking to usurp congressional oversight to find a way to get it done without us. My position is that is an impeachable act from my perspective," said Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) at a meeting sponsored by the Tea Party group LowCountry 9.12 Project on Tuesday, first reported by Lindsay Street on Summerville Patch.
His comments were met with enthusiastic applause.
"There are a lot of things people say, 'Are you going to impeach the president over that?' -- No. But this? This is catastrophic," continued Scott.
"This jeopardizes the credibility of our nation if one man can usurp the entire system set up by our founding fathers over something this significant."
Obama doesn't appear to be looking at ways to "usurp congressional oversight" on the debt ceiling. During his Twitter town hall on Wednesday, the president was asked whether he would consider invoking the 14th Amendment to pay government obligations if Congress refuses to raise the debt ceiling.
Obama did not rule out such an option, but he did insist that the situation should not get to a place where such drastic measures would be needed.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has also said he's not aware of any White House lawyers looking into the issue, although last week, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner mentioned the clause in the 14th Amendment that states U.S. public debt "shall not be questioned."
Note: To preclude cries of "PLAGIARSIM!", the italics and bolded statements above were added by me.