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Senate Democratic leaders urged President Barack Obama to act to increase the nation's debt limit, even without congressional approval, in order to avoid a standoff with Republicans over the nation's borrowing authority.
The top four Democrats wrote Obama on Friday to urge him against allowing the debt ceiling becoming a bargaining chip with Republicans, who might threaten to vote against any increase in the debt limit without new spending cuts or entitlement reforms from the administration.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and three other Democrats wrote:
In the event that Republicans make good on their threat by failing to act, or by moving unilaterally to pass a debt limit extension only as part of unbalanced or unreasonable legislation, we believe you must be willing to take any lawful steps to ensure that America does not break its promises and trigger a global economic crisis -- without Congressional approval, if necessary.
The White House has been loath to assert the type of broad executive privileges that would allow the president to unilaterally increase the amount of money the government is able to borrow in order to cover its obligations. Traditionally, approval of an increase in the debt ceiling has been the province of Congress.
Insisting that America is not a "deadbeat nation," President Obama demanded Congress authorize the U.S. to pay its bills lest the country default on its debts. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
But the 2011 fight over increasing the debt limit almost produced a default. Obama's agreement with Republicans at that time produced the spending cuts that make up the recent "fiscal cliff," which the president and lawmakers didn't fully solve. Obama warned after reaching an agreement with Republicans on taxes earlier this month that he wouldn't bargain over the debt limit, but some GOP lawmakers have begun to speak more openly about using that moment as a point of leverage.
It's not clear what authority Obama would invoke to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling. Popular theories argue he could invoke the 14th Amendment (which says the "validity of the public debt of the U.S. ... shall not be questioned"), invoke an obscure provision allowing the government to mint a $1 trillion coin to pay for the debt, or even issue I.O.U.s.
"We support your view that an extension of the debt limit is not something for which Democrats should have to negotiate," the Democratic leaders wrote. "At the same time, as a separate matter, we agree about the importance of developing a broad, bipartisan agreement on fiscal policy that strengthens our economy and reduces our long-term budget deficit."
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These Republicans act like they are in first grade, where the boys sit on one side and the girls on the other.
People are tired of these obstructionists. I feel so sorry for President Obama, how does he deal with these coo coo's everyday, is beyond me. What good are the Republican's? They are so immature, and gang together like cliquey high school or middle school kids that haven't defined themselves yet. Vote them out in 2014. We will probably just have the democratic party, and the independents. Who cares about these childish whatevers. Let them go to the Cayman islands and play in the sandbox, they will probably throw sand in each others eyes, after too much togetherness.
Right? How can President Obama possibly get anything done when he is dealing with a bunch of 5th grade girls at the far right in congress. Has there been one single issue where the wackadoos on the right havnt raised a stink about? President Obama could ask them to draw up a plan on the debt limit then if he liked it they would be dead set against it because he approved of it. Thay simply cant compromise with a black man as a matter of principle. Its a good ole boys country and thats that is thier motto. Obstruct at all costs!
Good ole Boys, exactly
Just like the dinosaurs, The republicans are going to become extinct!!
The right hasn't heard of the 14th amendment, article 4?
Which states all bills must be paid. That does not give Obama authority to go around congress. Just because the debt limit is not raised does not mean we automatically default. The gov't will just have to make some tough choices. There is a lot of money being spirited out of DC that has nothing to do with the US Gov't's responsibility. No debt payments, SS payments, military payments need be missed.
Why don't we just ask congress to allow government to print the money now on and save 100 billion a year in interest and fees. Why are we paying the FED to do something our government can do it self. Once that's done we can use our valuntery income tax money to pay off the debt.... Why Why why are we allowing this to continue?
If they keep printing money the dollar's value with drop like a rock and we will have massive inflation like in the Carter years.
OPEC and the rising cost per barrel was the driving force of inflation during the Carter years.
And Reagan solved the problem. With the massive reserves of natural gas, we can too. Now we only need a President to implement it. The one we've got is busy raising our debt. Maybe that's a good thing.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and three other Democrats request that the President act alone to raise the limit to how much we can owe. That way greasy Harry won't be blamed for it. Who are the other three? Don't you think it's time to start naming these people? Really, they're members of congress. We have the right to know where they stand on important matters, or they have no right to serve us (oh that's a beautiful description of what they do) in the Congress.
Originally, there exists designs in law in the legislative branch to address standoff issues in voting powers to legislate. If those designs were flawed such that the democratic leaders reach out to the executive branch to break the balance of power in the federal government, then congressional leaders would have to admit it publicly before democratic leaders can publicly ask the president to tip the balance of power.
Are democractic leaders breaking the law in plainsight by publicly asking the president, the execute branch, to act in a manner to tip the balance of power in the federal government? We need juducial branch leaders to go public and make it clear that congressional leaders can not seek the executive branch to tip the balance of power. Otherwise the balance of power that we the people have place in the judicial branch is not being excercise to judicate.
That means any failure in the federal government due from violations of the oath to establish balance of power metholdology in law is the fault of supreme court justices. Remember americans, to use your baseball bat, you should treat it as an extension of the body limb, grip firmly, and don't let go.
the rules are clear. The loser(s) need(s) to be whip like mexican case. Even greenspan has conviction as used in tribunal.
I think justice Scalia is the same robert bean whom held a tribunal implicating him the rich chinese every year from 1994 to 2009 with proof of his christian values and the catholic pope's word that him the rich chinese whip an entire accounting business unit, all mexicans, in the business place during business hours in 1994 or 1995. They still have not provided proof continue to subject him the rich chinese in a suffrage since 1994. (1) In one instance of a tribunal with greenspan or more as a witness, justice scalia or robert bean indicated that life as a justice scalia has no meaning if there is no justice to address the Pope's accusation since 1994 and ongoing. him the rich chinese was also denied government protection from congress for agreements made at origin of business affairs in the 1970s that directly give rise to american econmoic and military power. The tribunal therefore violate terms of agreement with white people in power in the 1970s to allow american government to conduct tribunals for the catholic pope against him the rich chinese. (2) Another instance involve the chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel during period of her being re-elected to chancellor; she flew from EU to motorola campus to make an encounter to verify accusation of the Pope against him the rich chinese. Others were congratulating her on her win in politics. On this day, I believe a usa military general was present as well as the catholic Pope known as ratzinger.
This is writing for public records by the sleeping stupid one for him the rich chinese and justice. All identities and proof asked were not given and hushed in nature. Identifiable people came from him the rich chinese to validate memory and incident.
Hmm, the democrats might want to rethink their party name if they now believe we should throw out Congress approved legislation in exchange for a dictated government that caters to only one party. Nothing democratic about that headline.
THIS IS LAUGHABLE AND INCREDIBLY HYPOCRITICAL AND TWO-FACED. Guess who said this
It was Barrack Obama. WALK THE TALK PREZ!