Yay, does this mean we dont have to accept a shitty bill with Medicare and SS cuts?

[NightWatcher]

Since nothing apparently will get out of either the Senate or House due to repuke filibuster, doesnt Obama have no choice but to unilaterally raise the ceiling and use whatever justification he sees fit? The Repukes tried to destroy us and in turn destroy Obama, but they've gone too far. They had the Senate Dems and Obama willing to give them SS and Medicare cuts on a silver platter, but they never wanted that, they wanted Obama to be saddled with a broken country.

Obama HAS to raise the debt limit on his own and take his case to the public, who I think will have his back after seeing that the Repukes tried to push us off a cliff.

[RagAss]

1. Easier said than done...These Repugs own the media.

[Poll_Blind]

2. Honestly, if the President can, I'm sure he'll try to squeeze it in somehow.

I have no illusions about his views on entitlement programs anymore. I doubt we'd be spared a "strengthening" of Social Security, et al. one way or another. I just got a reply from my House member- Peter DeFazio- who said he wasn't going to stop fighting to get the cuts/modifications to Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid "off the table".

Already 69 House Democrats have signed a petition demanding the President take those cuts/modifications off the table, but I doubt the President will heed them.

PB

[DURHAM D]

4. Yep - there is a reason McConnell wants to meet with Obama, not Reid.

[Bluebear]

11. You know it.

[Poll_Blind]

15. Yup

PB

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. Lessee... what would be the worst case scenario?

I've learned that betting on Obama to compromise is a good bet.

He'll raise half the shortfall by ordering the treasury to issue debt, then while he's feeling all autocratic AND bipartisany, he'll cut social security an equal amount. See? Everyone's happy!

[Poll_Blind]

10. If he took up McConnel's plan I'm betting he'd do just that.

PB

[KaryninMiami]

3. I can't stop thinking that this was the plan all along.

They had to know that there was no way for Bohener to pass anything that the Senate would approve and they now have no choice but to use the 14th Amendment. Not only that, but I'm thinking the moderates on the GOP side )who know damn well that the tea baggers are batshit crazy),l might even be in on this as well. No idea if that's even remotely true- but it gives everyone a way out and stops the tea baggers dead in their tracks.

[RagAss]

5. You won't be saying that when Impeachment hearings begin.

[NightWatcher]

6. I think Obama could survive the trial

[gateley]

7. I'm not as disillusioned as some of these guys are, but I thought

when McConnell gave his "option" recently, we had them over a barrel (since Wall Street sent down The Word to get something done). But before I knew it, there they were, back on the table. I'm not so confident he'll be able to say 'no' to this. :(

[Myrina]

9. No, it'll be Reid's "Hail Mary" that POTUS and the Dems will call 'a win'

That was the plan all along. Instead of catfood, now us working stiffs get to live on shit sandwiches that we're told are "good for us".

[NightWatcher]

12. Reid's bill can pass the Senate if there's no filibuster, but nothing's passing the House

Obama will have to act alone to raise the debt ceiling

[Igel]

13. It may mean you won't have to accept SS checks and Medicare coverage.

As for raising the debt ceiling, why doesn't he do the honorable thing and just raise taxes?

Both borrowing and taxes raise revenues.

Both are granted to Congress in Article I section 8.

The assumption by the president of one of these powers can be inferred from the 14th Amendment just as easily (or hardly) as the assumption of the other. They're equal.

Then again, he could also raise tariffs. But that would run afoul of international treaties not just the Constitution, so that would probably be considered over the top.

[chill_wind]

14. Obama only has two non-negotiables, it continues to be said.

No second vote on raising the debt ceiling before the end of 2012, and no repeal of the individual health care mandate (Boehner already tried that last weekend.)

W.H open to 2-day extension of debt ceiling if legislative agreement in sight
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