Twitter Town Hall: Obama Quizzed On 14th Amendment (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- During a Twitter town hall Wednesday, President Obama was asked whether he would consider invoking the 14th Amendment to pay government obligations if Congress refuses to raise the debt ceiling. Obama did not rule out such an option, but instead insisted that the situation should not get to a place where such drastic measures would be needed.

"I don’t think we should even get to the constitutional issue," Obama said after outlining the issue. "Congress has a responsibility to make sure we pay our bills. We've always paid them in the past. The notion that the U.S. is going to default on its debt is just irresponsible, and my expectation is that over the next week to two weeks that Congress, working with the White House, comes up with a deal that solves our deficit, solves our debt problems and makes sure that our full faith and credit is protected."

Obama didn't address what he might do if Congress failed to raise the debt ceiling, leaving open the door for unilateral executive action.

Republicans in Congress have pushed back against the notion that Obama could invoke the Constitution to break the impasse. And for good reason: If there are no hostages, there is no hostage crisis -- and no ransom.

Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) became the first member of Congress to threaten impeachment over the issue. "This president is looking to usurp congressional oversight to find a way to get it done without us. My position is that is an impeachable act from my perspective," Scott told a local town hall, according to West Ashley Patch.

"There are a lot of things people say, 'Are you going to impeach the president over that?' — No. But this? This is catastrophic," Scott said. "This jeopardizes the credibility of our nation if one man can usurp the entire system set up by our founding fathers over something this significant."

Comments

[Pinmason]

08:59 PM on 07/07/2011

You seriously believe the house is going to impeach Obama...sure they will if it comes down to it...then it goes to trial in the Democratic Senate with one Republican Senate adding credibility to 14th amendment option...Convict the President in the Senate...give me a break. I think this option gives the Dems a wide open field to play with in any debt ceiling negotiations and I would be highly disappointed if the President did not take advantage and find other conservative programs to cut and taxes to increase without sacrificing Social Security and Medicare.
On another subject, I praise the banks for buying back the sixty million plus mortgages from the Investors...mortgage on my house is only worth .04 cents on the dollar...about twenty-six hundred in my case...I wonder if they'll take a check?

[LorettaSingbiel]

03:19 PM on 07/07/2011

"This jeopardizes the credibility of our nation if one man can usurp the entire system set up by our founding fathers over something this significant."

The TEA/REPUBLICAN PARTY have been usurping the entire system set up by our founding fathers from day one of Obama's Presidency. Their OBSTRUCTION and DESTRUCTION of our DEMOCRACY is an impeachable act!

[ultrawiz]

03:11 PM on 07/07/2011

How dare Obama follow the Constitution! Impeach him! Hey Scott! Do you have any idea how stupid you sound? Just because Republicans regularly take a dump on the Constitution and then wipe their butts with the Bible doesn't mean everyone does.

[Pediego]

01:33 PM on 07/07/2011

EXCELLENTE!!!!!!!!!!!! EL PRESIDENTE. BRRRRRAVOOOO!!!!!

[babybrut]

01:08 PM on 07/07/2011

I have a new theory. Democrats are unwilling to deal with Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Recognizing the fact democrats always have their eye on the next election instead of the welfare of the country, they want to kick the can down the road. They know Obama is in trouble. If a republican takes the White House in 2012, democrats will try and take the high road and “defend” the people, when republicans tackle the big issues. Democrats are already looking beyond 2012.They know they have a problem. It’s obvious they just care about control, and not the welfare of the country.

[Pediego]

01:36 PM on 07/07/2011

Hey Baby, what did you think of the Prez's answers to the Qs?

[ultrawiz]

03:13 PM on 07/07/2011

Just what have you been smoking and do you have any more? You certainly have your own little world going there....

[20090120]

12:42 PM on 07/07/2011

...Scott said. "This jeopardizes the credibility of our nation if one man can usurp the entire system set up by our founding fathers over something this significant."

'This jeopardizes the credibility of our nation if one GOParty of Nonsense can usurp the entire system set up by the American people over something as significant as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education for American children, the middle class, Seniors and persons with disabilities in favor of tax breaks for the wealthy Americans, corrupt corporations, the world's wealthiest oil and gas corporations, corporate jet tax breaks representing less than 2% of all Americans.' And all the while, Mr. Scott, your GOParty of NOnsense refuse to consider "any" tax change while continuing to drive this country into an economic ditch created by your own Rethugnican't party during the 'W' debacle.

[Pediego]

01:37 PM on 07/07/2011

U mean like Bush and the WMD and Iraq?

[Gator Fan]

02:23 PM on 07/07/2011

wow, you took the words right out of my mouth.. I'm a fan

[ugotabkidnme]

12:41 PM on 07/07/2011

Can one reasonably conclude from the acts and the acts of omissions performed by the majority members of the Republican House of Representatives that they are willfully promoting and participating in a rebellion against the US government and are conducting an insurrection against the operation of the federal government pursuant to pledges of allegiance to Grover Norquist from which the ultimate result of said pledges of allegiance is to cause the collapse of the US economy and subsequent collapse of the global economy?

[Pediego]

01:41 PM on 07/07/2011

I like you take as some of the GOP statements and actions/inactions are anti American e.g. voting NO on all Obama/Dems initiatives even though they co-sponsored them before. A party of no brainers.

[USBrit]

04:35 PM on 07/07/2011

Should they change their Pledge of Allegiance from "I pledge allegiance to the flag, and to the Republic for which it stands.." to "I pledge allegiance to the Norguist, and to the extremism for which it stands..."?

[Blue Pup in PHX]

12:40 PM on 07/07/2011

Wow! the tr0lls are out in force on this site, denying that he was a law school professor, really? So birtherism has lost it's zip or what? For all the fact free posters here ya go, a quote from the University of Chicago Law School website:
"... The Law School has received many media requests about Barack Obama, especially about his status as "Senior Lecturer."

From 1992 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004, Barack Obama served as a professor in the Law School. He was a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996. He was a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004, during which time he taught three courses per year. Senior Lecturers are considered to be members of the Law School faculty and are regarded as professors, although not full-time or tenure-track. The title of Senior Lecturer is distinct from the title of Lecturer, which signifies adjunct status. Like Obama, each of the Law School's Senior Lecturers has high-demand careers in politics or public service, which prevent full-time teaching. Several times during his 12 years as a professor in the Law School, Obama was invited to join the faculty in a full-time tenure-track position, but he declined."

http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media

[ugotabkidnme]

12:25 PM on 07/07/2011

babybrut, Please just state what are Tea Party voters expecting to accomplish ?

[LorettaSingbiel]

03:24 PM on 07/07/2011

"Waterloo and break" our President "who's not one of them"

[runtwelds]

11:19 AM on 07/07/2011

Does anyone else feel Tim Scott may have an inferiority complex? Or did his teabaggers buddies just dare him to be the first to drop the impeachment bomb?

[bksrmgk]

11:12 AM on 07/07/2011

Boehner is asking Obama "Where are the jobs"? Short-term memory loss, John? He's the one who said that, if elected Speaker, his focus would be JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. So I ask, Mr. Boehner -- WHERE ARE THE JOBS??????

[Mydian01]

11:39 AM on 07/07/2011

i also seem to remember him saying that if jobs are lost "so be it"

[gDogMan]

02:52 PM on 07/07/2011

700,000 jobs to be specific.

Who need's 'em; 700,000 Americans?

[Suzi Mike]

11:51 AM on 07/07/2011

Yes Mr. Boehner, where are the jobs that the extension of the Bush tax cuts were supposed to create? Where are the jobs that the loopholes in the debt ceiling for the oil industry and big business were supposed to create? GOP the party of greed. They don't care about the shrinking middle class. They are too busy lining their pocket with the money the top 4% are using to buy the them! Any job creation in not in this country. The jobs are outside the US where big business can make a larger profit! It should not be profitable to take business out of the US.

[babybrut]

11:12 AM on 07/07/2011

Why does Obama run everything down to the wire? Why wasn't this resolved weeks ago? What kind of leader procrastinates on something this importatnt? I thought Obama promised a different kind of administration. Well, he sure gave us that didn't he?

[Monica Woodson]

11:32 AM on 07/07/2011

I wasn't aware President Obama was handling the debt talks alone...thanks for the insight

[babybrut]

11:41 AM on 07/07/2011

He wasn't. It took an act of Congress to get him involved.

[independent4sr]

12:14 PM on 07/07/2011

No, Obama is the president -- he SHOULD be leading, but he refuses to do so. He leaves it to others to the heavy lifting, while he sits around and whines and moans about it.

He's an embarrassment.

[Mydian01]

11:41 AM on 07/07/2011

it runs down to the wire because republicans walk out of every negotiation they are winning, because it means that obama gets some legislation. it to close to 2012 for republicans to take any deal, even the deals they ask for.

[babybrut]

11:53 AM on 07/07/2011

Now you're going to harp on republicans because they did what democrats did in Wisconsin. Guess you want it both ways? Sorry, no deal!

[Stas Semenov]

11:10 AM on 07/07/2011

Congress will fail to raise the debt.

[babybrut]

11:07 AM on 07/07/2011

Gotta laugh! All the bitching and moaning and cranking about the TEA Party and how silly they are, and what does the Obama administration do? Copies them! Guess who came up with the idea of townhall meetings on Twitter and did it first?

[SotallyTober]

11:14 AM on 07/07/2011

And it matters because???

[babybrut]

11:21 AM on 07/07/2011

It points out one important fact. The TEA Party has clout. Imitation is the best form of flattery. :)

[BraineyRubble]

11:33 AM on 07/07/2011

There have been town hall meetings as long as there have been towns... Move along.

[babybrut]

11:40 AM on 07/07/2011

Nice try, no gold star!

[KickstandCat]

11:00 AM on 07/07/2011

OK Obama. You said you want to be a really good "one term President". Do what you gotta do with these fools. WE ARE BEHIND YOU if you do what you KNOW is the right thing. The right thing is GOOD. Do it! DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!!!!

(However, I suspect you will be a 2 term President and we'll be sad when your term is up.)

[Pediego]

01:56 PM on 07/07/2011

I wish there could be a Constitutional change and make you Prez 4ever puuuuuleeeeeez.