Beeho's fiscal cliff strategy

[spqrzilla]

That would be unconstitutional.

Refusing to pass a debt ceiling raise would not be unconstitutional. The Democrats tried to float that argument over a year ago, and it was really laughable.

The Constitution provides that Congress has the power to raise money, appropriate funds, etc. If there is a law setting a maximum amount that the Federal government can borrow (and there is), that is the limit of the Federal government's authority to borrow, period.

[Irving]

Refusing to pass a debt ceiling raise would not be unconstitutional. The Democrats tried to float that argument over a year ago, and it was really laughable.

The Constitution provides that Congress has the power to raise money, appropriate funds, etc. If there is a law setting a maximum amount that the Federal government can borrow (and there is), that is the limit of the Federal government's authority to borrow, period.

Amendment 14 Section 4.
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.

So this says that any debt (except the mentioned exception) is valid and will not be questioned. My stance was going to be that by not raising the debt ceiling, that would be the same as defaulting on the debts of the US. I imagine this is the same thing the liberals tried to say, which you referred to. However, upon further consideration, it seems to me that raising the debt ceiling may not be the ONLY way to repay US debts. So, if there is even one other option to make good on our debts, then I conceded that not raising the debt ceiling would not be unconstitutional.

I am under the impression that the purpose of raising the debt ceiling is to cover debts that the US has already accrued, not to free up money for more spending in the future. Just to be clear, I think the spending is out of control and needs to be stopped. Once the debts are on the books though, to not pay them would be unconstitutional.