Staff Reports
Democrats, so desperate to throw Republicans under the bus, are now considering using the 14th Amendment to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling. The move would be reckless and undermine the principles of good faith negotiations, but it seems that the Democrats are letting their partisan politics get in the way of their responsibility to govern.
Democrats Increasingly Looking to Depend on 14th Amendment for Debt Ceiling Negotiations https://t.co/HFVPZNlO0s https://t.co/d0YVZoLPr6
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 15, 2023
While some Democrats like Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) champion the idea, Republicans in Congress have warned against it. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) plan to raise the debt ceiling while cutting spending should be enough to avoid a default, but Democrats seem unwilling to consider it.
Biden won't rule out taking unliteral action on the debt limit if Congress doesn't acquiesce to his demands pic.twitter.com/6co8Aswr0e
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 9, 2023
"Democrats Change Definition of Numbers, Say 2022 Spending Levels They Cheered Are Now 'Disaster'" https://t.co/eJZWYThMuV
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) April 26, 2023
EARLIER: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sidesteps whether he'd support Pres. Biden invoking the 14th Amendment in the debt limit fight.
"I don't want to give [Biden] advice, but I think we should do our job. I think that's a precedent to just absolve Congress from being adults." pic.twitter.com/Xyayh8pSnN
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) May 14, 2023
“The only thing that can solve our problems now is for Congress to lift the debt limit.”
On #CNNSOTU with @DanaBashCNN, @TreasuryDepSec Wally Adeyemo throws cold water on using the 14th Amendment to avoid default.https://t.co/sDhKMAfFNQ
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) May 14, 2023
Furthermore, Democratic senators like Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) are making absurd claims about Republicans wanting a default while ignoring the fact that House Republicans are the only ones who have put forth a plan to avoid it.
It’s not just Republicans who are wary of using the 14th Amendment either. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that there would be “litigation around that” if President Joe Biden used the amendment to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling. Even Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo couldn’t give a direct answer when asked if Biden had the authority to do so.
Instead of taking drastic measures like using the 14th Amendment, Democrats should focus on negotiating in good faith with Republicans. Biden has finally signaled that he may be willing to negotiate, and a meeting with congressional leaders is expected to take place soon.
The Democrats need to stop playing partisan politics and start working towards a solution that benefits all Americans. Raising the debt ceiling while cutting spending is a pragmatic solution that should be considered, rather than risking the financial stability of the country with a reckless move like using the 14th Amendment.
