Breaking on Keith Olbermann, Senate Democrats are starting to seriously look at just ignoring the debt ceiling by referring to 14th Amendment language (Ryan Grimm, Huffington Post).
More below the scroll....
It's possibly a publicity stunt, but some Senate dems are reportedly having a press conference tomorrow basically saying that due to the language of the 14th amendment:
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.
no matter what the Repugs say, we're good for our debt.
If I remember my history correctly, the reason this is part of the 14th amendment, is that after the Civil War, creditors to the US were afraid they were going to get stiffed by a future congress.
Oh, the wisdom of the "founders" (of the Reconstruction)!
UPDATE: I AM NOT A LAWYER -- This was the leadoff breaking story on KO's Countdown. I hope Jonathan Turley or another expert weighs in tomorrow. But the fact that SOME Dem Senators will fight is the best news this week, in my opinion.
UPDATE 2: According to the HuffPo article, it is Patty Murray and Chris Coons that are leading this charge tomorrow.
I'll post the link, but it is to HuffPo, which I understand some (including me) are loathe to hit:
Ryan Grimm, Huffington Post
And as usual, at least one Kossack noticed this before, along with other murmurs on the interwebs:
Simplify's Diary on Debt Ceiling
In other debt ceiling news, Reid (FINALLY) says he basically given up on "compromise" with the Repugs.
Reid Slams Repug Positions
All good news so far... Maybe, just maybe, Dems are growing more of a backbone.