14th Amendment Option for Debt Ceiling drama?

[ObamaKerryDem]

Many have suggested (including Fmr. President Clinton) that President Obama invoke the 14th amendment to raise the debt ceiling on his own, if the Congress refuses to do it (which it looks like, more and more each day, may be the case..*sigh*). The President's legal team seems to be advising him against it. Does anyone here have any thoughts on this?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-07-28-Obama-debt-limit-14th-amendment-constitution_n.htm

I wonder what JK's thoughts on this would be/are?

[Mass]

1. It would be nice for once to see Obama do something bold.

(Honestly, I do not trust the media reporting anonymous sources of what the lawyers think. They only know what they have been told by whomever they talked to.)

First, we need to be able to increase the debt ceiling and frankly, none of the plans out there are good as they mostly cut aides to poor people who cannot afford that. Some are better than others, like the Reid plan, but there is no good options.

I have two sons, one who is ending college and wants to graduate schools, and one who will graduate from HS next year. If interest rates take a hike as it seems they will or if Pell Grants and subsidized loans are reduced, I am totally freaked out that this will make their plans impossible. Frankly, these are those things I'd like to have heard from him earlier this week, in a passionate way, not a cerebral way. We're far from being the most hurt people, but right now, it hurts and frankly, it does not get better and those plans will not make this better.

The second thing is that, the way it goes, people are blaming Obama as well as the GOP, and it will not help in 2012. If one of these goofus racing for the GOP nominations wins, the world will get even worse.

As for Kerry, he was asked a few days ago and his answer was that Congress should do its work, but this was a few days ago, so who knows what he would answer today.

Here is a senate speech from his website where he answers this particular issue
http://kerry.senate.gov/press/release/?id=0A36A293-CAA9-4158-B0B9-C9E9C41C2784

Mr. President, last week one of our newest colleagues made an interesting and revealing observation. The Senator from Delaware, Chris Coons, who balanced budgets in county government, who took cases all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court – who has seen decisions made in the business world and the non-profit world – an enormously capable person said – that some people were looking into the language of the 14th amendment and the debt limit to learn whether - and I quote – there might be “some way to save us from ourselves?'"

His observation made me think, how crazy can this place look to a new Senator, that reasonable people are so alarmed by the dysfunction of this institution right now – Congress – that we have to look at the language of the Constitution to find possible ways to do what Congress and the Senate are supposed to do on their own: compromise. Make tough decisions. Keep our economy afloat.

[Mass]

2. I found this in an article in the Globe. I had not heard Kerry speak about this issue.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/07/31/possible_legal_loophole_would_be_risky_for_obama/?page=2

“If the president deployed this last-resort option to save the economy from default, Kerry would support him,’’ said Whitney Smith, the senator’s spokeswoman. “Senator Kerry believes legal precedent involving the 14th Amendment supports the notion that the president can raise the debt limit to ensure, as it says, ‘the validity of the public debt.’ ’’

[Luftmensch067]

3. Oh, thank you for finding that!

I don't know what will happen, but this is good to know.

[Inuca]

4. Interesting

a moot point now though, most likely. I am confused and frustrated :-(.

[ObamaKerryDem]

5. Thanks for finding and posting this here!

Had been wondering what JK's thoughts were on that. And for the record, I agree-The Pres. Should invoke it especially if this new deal fails Congress tomorrow like I have a feeling it might. Enough is enough!!