U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media as he departs for Wilmington, Delaware, from the White House on October 2, 2021 in Washington, DC.
My Advice to Biden on Debt Ceiling Faceoff With GOP: Play Hard Ball
A debt ceiling that prevents the federal government from honoring its existing financial commitments violates the Constitution.
If House Republicans refuse to raise the limit on the amount of money America may repay on what it owes — the deceptively named “debt limit” — they might force the United States to default, pushing interest rates into the stratosphere and shaking the world economy.
President Biden rightfully says that raising the so-called debt ceiling should not be negotiable. After all, Democrats joined Republicans during the Trump administration to raise it three times, even as Trump and the Republicans enacted a major tax cut for big corporations and the wealthy that caused the nation’s debt to soar.
Yet now, Kevin McCarthy and his band of Republican radicals are demanding that in return for their agreement to raise the debt ceiling, Biden and Democrats make drastic cuts in programs Americans rely on — in everything from from public safety to health care to education.
My advice to Joe Biden: Ignore McCarthy and the Republican radicals.
Mr. President, your oath to uphold the Constitution takes precedence. As the supreme law of the land, the Constitution has greater weight than the debt ceiling.
My advice to Joe Biden: Ignore McCarthy and the Republican radicals.
Section 4 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution states that “The validity of the public debt of the United States … shall not be questioned.”
A debt ceiling that prevents the federal government from honoring its existing financial commitments violates the Constitution.So, if House Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling, you are obligated by the U.S. Constitution and your oath of office to ignore the debt ceiling and continue to pay the debts of the United States.
Should they wish, let the radical Republicans take you to court.
Even the Republican radicals on the Supreme Court will likely support you. No “originalist” interpretation of the Constitution could read that document differently.
A debt ceiling that prevents the federal government from honoring its existing financial commitments violates the Constitution.
The Constitution makes it clear that Congress’s power to borrow money does not include the power to default on such borrowing.
The original intent of the drafters of the Constitution in 1787 was to give Congress the power to tax and borrow to pay debts and to provide for the common defense and public welfare. As Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 30, the power to tax and borrow was established to ensure payment of debt or to prevent a default.
The “Second Founders” who amended the Constitution after the Civil War explicitly forbade Congress, or anyone, from repudiating or defaulting on the debt.
The Republicans want to lure you into a cynical game, Mr. President. The nation needs you to play hardball by ignoring them.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
If House Republicans refuse to raise the limit on the amount of money America may repay on what it owes — the deceptively named “debt limit” — they might force the United States to default, pushing interest rates into the stratosphere and shaking the world economy.
President Biden rightfully says that raising the so-called debt ceiling should not be negotiable. After all, Democrats joined Republicans during the Trump administration to raise it three times, even as Trump and the Republicans enacted a major tax cut for big corporations and the wealthy that caused the nation’s debt to soar.
Yet now, Kevin McCarthy and his band of Republican radicals are demanding that in return for their agreement to raise the debt ceiling, Biden and Democrats make drastic cuts in programs Americans rely on — in everything from from public safety to health care to education.
My advice to Joe Biden: Ignore McCarthy and the Republican radicals.
Mr. President, your oath to uphold the Constitution takes precedence. As the supreme law of the land, the Constitution has greater weight than the debt ceiling.
My advice to Joe Biden: Ignore McCarthy and the Republican radicals.
Section 4 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution states that “The validity of the public debt of the United States … shall not be questioned.”
A debt ceiling that prevents the federal government from honoring its existing financial commitments violates the Constitution.So, if House Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling, you are obligated by the U.S. Constitution and your oath of office to ignore the debt ceiling and continue to pay the debts of the United States.
Should they wish, let the radical Republicans take you to court.
Even the Republican radicals on the Supreme Court will likely support you. No “originalist” interpretation of the Constitution could read that document differently.
A debt ceiling that prevents the federal government from honoring its existing financial commitments violates the Constitution.
The Constitution makes it clear that Congress’s power to borrow money does not include the power to default on such borrowing.
The original intent of the drafters of the Constitution in 1787 was to give Congress the power to tax and borrow to pay debts and to provide for the common defense and public welfare. As Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 30, the power to tax and borrow was established to ensure payment of debt or to prevent a default.
The “Second Founders” who amended the Constitution after the Civil War explicitly forbade Congress, or anyone, from repudiating or defaulting on the debt.
The Republicans want to lure you into a cynical game, Mr. President. The nation needs you to play hardball by ignoring them.
- Khanna Warns House GOP Wants to 'Hijack the Entire US Economy' to Cut Social Security ›
- Biden Can 'Absolutely' Invoke 14th Amendment Over Debt Ceiling, Says Raskin ›
- 'End the Absurdity': Experts Say Biden Must Not Let GOP Force 'Catastrophic' Default ›
- Bernie Sanders to Joe Biden: Invoke the 14th Amendment—Now ›
If House Republicans refuse to raise the limit on the amount of money America may repay on what it owes — the deceptively named “debt limit” — they might force the United States to default, pushing interest rates into the stratosphere and shaking the world economy.
President Biden rightfully says that raising the so-called debt ceiling should not be negotiable. After all, Democrats joined Republicans during the Trump administration to raise it three times, even as Trump and the Republicans enacted a major tax cut for big corporations and the wealthy that caused the nation’s debt to soar.
Yet now, Kevin McCarthy and his band of Republican radicals are demanding that in return for their agreement to raise the debt ceiling, Biden and Democrats make drastic cuts in programs Americans rely on — in everything from from public safety to health care to education.
My advice to Joe Biden: Ignore McCarthy and the Republican radicals.
Mr. President, your oath to uphold the Constitution takes precedence. As the supreme law of the land, the Constitution has greater weight than the debt ceiling.
My advice to Joe Biden: Ignore McCarthy and the Republican radicals.
Section 4 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution states that “The validity of the public debt of the United States … shall not be questioned.”
A debt ceiling that prevents the federal government from honoring its existing financial commitments violates the Constitution.So, if House Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling, you are obligated by the U.S. Constitution and your oath of office to ignore the debt ceiling and continue to pay the debts of the United States.
Should they wish, let the radical Republicans take you to court.
Even the Republican radicals on the Supreme Court will likely support you. No “originalist” interpretation of the Constitution could read that document differently.
A debt ceiling that prevents the federal government from honoring its existing financial commitments violates the Constitution.
The Constitution makes it clear that Congress’s power to borrow money does not include the power to default on such borrowing.
The original intent of the drafters of the Constitution in 1787 was to give Congress the power to tax and borrow to pay debts and to provide for the common defense and public welfare. As Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 30, the power to tax and borrow was established to ensure payment of debt or to prevent a default.
The “Second Founders” who amended the Constitution after the Civil War explicitly forbade Congress, or anyone, from repudiating or defaulting on the debt.
The Republicans want to lure you into a cynical game, Mr. President. The nation needs you to play hardball by ignoring them.
- Khanna Warns House GOP Wants to 'Hijack the Entire US Economy' to Cut Social Security ›
- Biden Can 'Absolutely' Invoke 14th Amendment Over Debt Ceiling, Says Raskin ›
- 'End the Absurdity': Experts Say Biden Must Not Let GOP Force 'Catastrophic' Default ›
- Bernie Sanders to Joe Biden: Invoke the 14th Amendment—Now ›