Video: Obama Says he's 'Tempted' to Go Around Congress

While speaking in front of the very racist 'La Raza,' Obama said it was 'very tempting' to consider going around Congress to raise the debt ceiling. Though he doesn't say it here, he is referring to an interpretation of the fourteenth amendment that is so controversial that the talk of Impeachment will commence immediately after he were to pull such a stunt. Though none other than Bill Clinton has said he wouldn't hesitate to invoke Section 4 of the Amendment, such talk is cheap when you're no longer in office. If Obama goes that route, it'd be tantamount to exercising the nuclear option on the Legislative branch.

Here is the relevant section:

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 obliga[p.1928]tion 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.

At first glance, that may seem to give the President the right to raise the debt ceiling but the line of distinction is likely going to come down to whether the president has the right to pay debt already incurred vs. the right to authorize future debt. That distinction is quite important. While speaking in front of La Raza, Obama flashed his typical arrogance, hinting that he might just invoke the Fourteenth amendment.



h/t Weasel Zippers