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(52,195 posts)
6. there are a few possible options as i see it:
Fri Jan 4, 2013, 02:51 PM
Jan 2013

1) come to SOME agreement that raises the debt limit.
2) convince to media that republicans are the jerks here and force them to cave.
3) invoke the 14th amendment -- untested, and i think it's a temporary remedy at best. republicans can always force the issue when the annual appropriations bill come up.
4) mint a trillion-dollar coin. untested, but i'm not sure it wouldn't work. the right-wing will howl the government is "printing money" ("minting money" would be more accurate and also alliterative, but it hasn't been imbued with the negative connotations that "printing money" has) but it's kinda funny money anyway and as obama says, congress authorized this spending in the first place.
5) selectively default on certain government obligations. i think the social security trust fund offers that possibility because they get issued a special series of treasuries, so a default on those wouldn't affect anyone else, and treasury would make social security whole once the situation is resolved. but, ... ugh!

There is some speculation there are ways around the debt ceiling... PoliticAverse Jan 2013 #1
He can pay them back with their own coin; a trillion dollar coin. Xipe Totec Jan 2013 #2
What a symbol that would be... Coyote_Tan Jan 2013 #12
The problem with that is most everyone will begin to think the nation is a farce davidn3600 Jan 2013 #18
It is for Congress to come up with something to put on the President's desk Angry Dragon Jan 2013 #3
If they do nothing, the executive branch grinds to a halt ProgressiveProfessor Jan 2013 #5
Then it grinds to a halt Angry Dragon Jan 2013 #7
what about the consequences? Enrique Jan 2013 #8
How long are you willing to keep putting up with the republicans being terrorists?? Angry Dragon Jan 2013 #15
Not sure either side wants brinksmanship ProgressiveProfessor Jan 2013 #4
The Tea-nuts love brinksmanship because it gets attention to their cause. amandabeech Jan 2013 #11
there are a few possible options as i see it: unblock Jan 2013 #6
The coin should have Ronald Reagan's face in it. RomneyLies Jan 2013 #14
++ unblock Jan 2013 #16
The statute about platinum coins gives the Treasury Secretary wide latitude RomneyLies Jan 2013 #19
There is only one face that should appear on the trillion dollar coin Hugabear Jan 2013 #24
14.4 Yes he can refuse to have the country held hostage.... wandy Jan 2013 #9
This administration has already acknowledged the legitimacy ProgressiveProfessor Jan 2013 #10
This is not a new interpretation...... wandy Jan 2013 #21
this lets treasury pay existing debt, but doesn't let treasury issue new debt. unblock Jan 2013 #17
Agreed. At the moment paying existing debt is called for.... wandy Jan 2013 #20
but soon enough we get to the point where we need to issue more debt unblock Jan 2013 #22
Agreed again, long term.... wandy Jan 2013 #23
the trillion-dollar coin idea seems safer and more legally sound unblock Jan 2013 #25
Not bad. I'm just not so sure about legally sound..... wandy Jan 2013 #26
Sure he can. RomneyLies Jan 2013 #13
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