Obama urged to invoke 14th amendment as debt ceiling deadline nears

[Judas BentHer]

Politico Article

What some in the media refer to as "clause" 4 :

14th amendment Section 4
"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 obligation 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. "

Obama has a great deal of understanding regarding Constitutional law, so this should be interesting.
While even though Obama has said it's not an option to invoke the section 4 of the 14th, it is fun to imagine the GOP combustion if it did happen.
I think the House Speaker would disintegrate at the podium, right before the Cspan cameras.
OK, must stop. For, I dream.

I like the rich politician in the Politico article and his quote excerpt: This isn't how a Democracy works!

Damn right it's not. Holding the American people hostage in the name of partisan GOP politics that can't set aside bickering, for the good of the country, while taking tax hikes to the multi-millionaire and even billionaires who aren't paying what they could thanks to typical GOP pandering, is sure as hell not how Democracy works.

It is however highly demonstrative of how a Plutocracy works. While the working class are duped into thinking it was democratically elected, so it's actually our responsibility they're in power.


I saw a new Tornoe political cartoon today. Can't scan it in however it reads like this. A Congressman is pointing at a senior citizen who's holding a grocery bag with a loaf of Italian bread sticking out.

The header reads: "Which One Is The Real Entitlement?"


Beneath the senior citizen there's a description:
Social Security
Paid into it all his life to live off a measley $14,000 a year.

Beneath the Congressman who has bag's of money by his feet and who's pointing at the senior it reads:

Congressional Benefits
Free Health Care, Enormous Pension, 67 paid holidays,
unlimited sick time, etc...
And out of that Congressman's mouth, in that little cartoon bubble he's "saying", as he points toward the senior citizen on Social Security:

"Check out the freeloader living off the system!"


If anyone can find that cartoon and scan it for upload and posting here, it would be a great help to drive home the true import of our representatives privileged life that we elected them to enjoy, while they take a crap all over us on a regular basis as their power, without term limits, says "Thank You!"

And to think, the only way the Legislative branch will ever have term limits is if 2/3rds of Congress vote to amend the Constitution to reflect that.

Yes, I see that happening.
Just after pigs fly, Palin is accepted into Mensa and Ann (Man) Coulter gives birth.

[Minimalist]

Free Health Care, Enormous Pension

That much is plain bullshit. They have the same health care and pension system as other federal employees. The helath plan is far from free and the pension is far from enormous.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress...esspay.htm

Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.

Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.

As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.

Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

There is a lot of misinformation floating around out there.

[Judas BentHer]

And that description of a cartoon, following the article regarding the 14th amendment matter, is what installed the chat kill on the whole thread.

Amazing!

[Cinjin]

WTF. I wouldn't be caught dead defending the pay rate or health insurance option of any US politician. Bunch of fucking sleazebags!


And I'm just going to say it: Obama, you have not done enough. Get off your god damn ass!! 'Bout as useful as a fucking wind-bag.

[The Grand Nudger]

And I'm just going to say it: Obama, you have not done enough. Get off your god damn ass!! 'Bout as useful as a fucking wind-bag.

Aeolus takes offense.

[Cinjin]

And I'm just going to say it: Obama, you have not done enough. Get off your god damn ass!! 'Bout as useful as a fucking wind-bag.

Aeolus takes offense.

and?

[The Grand Nudger]

Aeolus, bag of wind....brutal crowd.

[Judas BentHer]

No, no, no! To really mean it you gotta get visual when condemning yet another CorpasPresident.

"About as useful as tits on a boar hog!"
See, how that works?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

No, no, no! To really mean it you gotta get visual when condemning yet another CorpasPresident.

"About as useful as tits on a boar hog!"
See, how that works?

Indeed. Or "as useful as a cunt full of cold water." (that's an Aussie expression)


My gut tells me this is brinkmanship.HOW can the senate refuse supply and not bring down the government?

[Autumnlicious]

The Senate is refusing to pass anything the republicans have come up with on their own on these grounds:
a) The democratic bill had more cuts than the republican bill.
b) The democratic bill had tax raises
c) The republican bill will only postpone things to the general election
c i) which is a favorite tactic of fascists, creating a situation for which they may come to the "rescue"