Sen. Harkin: Nothing prevents Obama from using 14th Amendment

The Hill ^ | July 29, 2011 | Alicia M. Cohn

[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.

[Marine_Uncle]

The Kenyan will have the L/MSM covering his back no matter what comes to be, unless their fingers feel a real shift in the winds, then they will let his ass be had.

[stephenjohnbanker]

I join you.

[marktwain]

This comment I like. But then how will we know when this has happened?

A good measure will be if no bill is passed by August 2nd, and the Dow Jones doesn't drop by a thousand points.

No bill would mean that the American government somehow has the guts to rein in spending and to get the debt under control, or a good shot at it. There is a good chance the market would like that.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”The Kenyan will have the L/MSM covering his back no matter what comes to be, unless their fingers feel a real shift in the winds, then they will let his ass be had.”

To some degree but not completely. Obama has been spending much more time playing up to the media than Republicans where, but I am seeing a number of non-Republican pundits critical of him too for his lack of leadership, but more critical of Rs for no 'compromise' (pushing Obama's message).

I just assumed that they would be biased. The problem Republicans have now is that most on FNC are calling for some sort of deal, or at least pass the Boehner plan. That means that mainstream and liberal Republicans as well as independents will be drifting that way as FNC is the Republican channel. Obviously Rush listeners wont be swayed. Just my thoughts :)

[ZULU]

No. Nothing stops the Dictator-in-Charge from running America by edict because his party won;t impeach him for his high crimes and misdemeanors and they control the Senate. "The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties....."

14th Amendment

[sickoflibs]

RE :”A good measure will be if no bill is passed by August 2nd, and the Dow Jones doesn't drop by a thousand points.
No bill would mean that the American government somehow has the guts to rein in spending and to get the debt under control, or a good shot at it. There is a good chance the market would like that. “

Thanks, alternatively Democrats on TV with lots more doomsday talk (as with TARP doomsday talk 2008 ) could spook the markets giving them the ‘proof’ they will cite to scare voters. Or maybe not.

Glad you brought up markets. Watching all those CEO hating, Wall Street hating, business hating (Democrat) Marxists make believe they are worried about the stock market on MSNBC is an amazing performance :)

[GOPJ]

Obama has a MUCH better plan: Get Republicans blamed for both the bad economy AND for the increase in the debt limit by forcing them to do it with little or no budget cuts.

Dems talked Bush the first into raising taxes (for the sake of the country) then used it against him... remember the 'read my lips, no new taxes' ads they ran?

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Obama has a MUCH better plan: Get Republicans blamed for both the bad economy AND for the increase in the debt limit by forcing them to do it with little or no budget cuts.......Dems talked Bush the first into raising taxes (for the sake of the country) then used it against him... remember the ‘read my lips, no new taxes’ ads they ran?”

Bush 1 was in a tight spot too, he needed Money for Gulf 1 and was being warned about the deficit by his own ‘experts’ at the same time. I kind of felt sorry for him.

RINO Erhlich was put in a similar position in Maryland, went along with raising taxes, tried to deny it, and got creamed by Democrats for it and then losing the governorship.

Any deal Democrats like, raises my alarm bills.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” Dems talked Bush the first into raising taxes (for the sake of the country) then used it against him... remember the ‘read my lips, no new taxes’ ads they ran? “

Bush: We do need some “revenue enhancers”

My dad and I were watching live. I turned to him and said” he just lost the next election....he just committed suicide”

[Marine_Uncle]

Their (MSM) just doing what their liberal professors and other mentors trained them to do so well.

[chris_bdba]

Except for that peskey little section 5......

[RedEyeJack]

Well between the “Gun Walker” escapades at Justice, the defiance of the War Powers Act in Libya, and ignoring the Debt Limit one would think there might be some “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” to be found and used in a Bill of Impeachment.

[free me]

Tons of them!

Too bad the Dems run the Senate.

Even when the pubbies ran the Senate they were too cowardly to put on a real “trial”.