14th Amendment and the Debt Ceiling Law

The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, shall not be questioned.

Under US Debt Ceiling law, an administration can spend only if it has sufficient funds to pay for it. These funds can come either from tax receipts or from borrowing by the United States Department of the Treasury. Congress has set a debt ceiling, beyond which the Treasury cannot borrow.

There seems to be a conflict in the above law and amendment that could see the Debt Ceiling law unconstitutional.

I could see the Debt Ceiling law modified to say we will pay our prior debts with revenue and borrowing, as needed, but any borrowing over that debt would require congressional approval.

How would you handle this issue?










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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Independent voters pin blame in debt gridlock

CBS News, July 23, 2011. Time is running out to raise the debt ceiling before the U.S. begins to default on its obligations, a deal appears to be nowhere in sight, and Democrats and Republicans only seem to be getting angrier at each other.

So, who's to blame for the debt lid gridlock in Washington?

"The Early Show on Saturday Morning" put together a panel of independent voters to address the question.

They were joined by two analysts of different political stripes who happen to be husband and wife: Margaret Hoover, who was an aide to President George W. Bush and is the author of "American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party," and John Avlon, the senior political columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast.

Suffice is to say, the voters spread the blame around.



Some of the independent members belong to the New York City Independent Party Organizations.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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