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To: Vendome

How? The argument runs that Section 4 authorizes it.

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.

Validity of the public debt.

Funny how the only way they want to use the Constitution is to destroy what it’s there to protect.


13 posted on 06/20/2012 10:45:53 PM PDT by To-Whose-Benefit? (It is Error alone which needs the support of Government. The Truth can stand by itself.)
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To: To-Whose-Benefit?

Wouldn’t Section 4 be more reasonably interpreted to mean the government is constitutionally obligated to pay on the debt? In other words, other non-essential (not constitutionally mandated) programs would have to be sacrificed, if necessary, to continue servicing the debt? It seems to me the founders simply wanted to ensure the debt wasn’t written off by a political majority.


27 posted on 06/20/2012 11:35:26 PM PDT by CitizenUSA (Why celebrate evil? Evil is easy. Good is the goal worth striving for.)
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To: To-Whose-Benefit?
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

It's a shame Princess Pelosi did not read how Section 4 is to be enforced.

48 posted on 06/21/2012 3:32:01 AM PDT by Pollster1 (A boy becomes a man when a man is needed - John Steinbeck)
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To: To-Whose-Benefit?
Section 5: The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

The President has no authority under this amendment to circumvent Congress.

52 posted on 06/21/2012 4:10:48 AM PDT by MCF
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To: To-Whose-Benefit?
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law,

They keep forgetting about that pesky "authorized by law" part of the 14th. No such law authorizing the President to increase the debt ceiling exists.

57 posted on 06/21/2012 6:07:11 AM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is, it is the only answer.)
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To: To-Whose-Benefit?

Maybe I can’t read Engrish....


71 posted on 06/21/2012 9:20:49 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live thnrough it anyway)
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To: To-Whose-Benefit?; Vendome
I don't see that being valid at all.
In fact, it is invalid, ispo facto.

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.

Okay, but this is not existing public debt.
This is an attempt to increase the public debt.
Section 4 makes no mention of increasing debt, only that prior debt shall be unquestioned

73 posted on 06/21/2012 12:59:34 PM PDT by bill1952 (Choice is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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