Unlike the pundit who has a clue, I'm a diarist who has no clue on deep issues of constitutional law. However, as an expert on health outcomes research and health policy, I read diary after diary from people who had no clue during the Affordable Care Act debate. So now I'm returning the favor to all con law experts out there.
It seems to me that Obama, not only can raise the debt ceiling on his own, but that he MUST. As chief executive he has the duty to carry out the spending appropriated by Congress. All of the additional deficit spending coming down the pike has already been approved by Congress at one point. The Constitution is clear that only the Congress has the power to do this.
Will the president be sued if he invokes the 14th amendment? Many law experts think people will try but that it will be hard to get standing.
But what about if the President doesn't invoke the 14th and Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling? I think the president will almost certainly be sued and the plaintiff will have standing. If Social Security checks do not go out, then millions can say they were harmed by the president for not supplying money promised by Congress. The same is true for any government contractor, employee, etc...
The only argument against raising the debt ceiling unilaterally (or getting rid of it all together - which is what Obama would be doing by ignoring it), is the way borrowing is handled by the Treasury. Congress authorizes the Treasury to sell bonds to pay debt and the debt ceiling law requires them to stop. The president would essentially have to overrule this law.
Our U.S. history is full of presidents extending the reaches of their power. Sometimes they are shot down by the Supreme Court, or congress, or voters. Other times they get away with it. This needs to be one of those times for Obama. It seems to me that fullfilling the spending appropriations of Congress is a worthwhile use of power, not to mention averting global economic disaster.
As for the possibility of impeachment...who cares. Let the teahadists try to impeach him. It will only help Obama and the Democrats in the long run.