VANDERBILT POLITICAL REVIEW
DOMESTIC
gress if it fails to pass an increase by the
time a debt limit is reached. One approach,
which has been endorsed by former President Bill Clinton, is to use section four of
the Fourteenth Amendment: “the validity
of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred
would erode the separation of powers between the branches of government by taking away one aspect of the “power of the
purse” from Congress. In addition, such a
move would undoubtedly be challenged
in the courts, and if they decided that it
was unconstitutional, any Treasury bills
was regularly utilized until 1995, when
Republicans took control of the House
and sought to use the debt ceiling votes to
portray Bill Clinton as fiscally irresponsible. Since then, the rule has been used
sparingly, and not at all by House Republicans during the Obama administration.
for payment of pensions and bounties for
services in suppressing insurrection or
rebellion, shall not be questioned.” Arguably, this affirmation of the valid ]H?B?X?X?X?[???H?\?Y[???Z\?HB?X??Z[[???]?]???\??[?[\??[\?Y?][[????[?H[????]][?[?\???][???[?X]H?[\Y?B?H???\?????Z\?[??HX??Z[[???]?H?\?[??[?H?\????HYX[?X?[?HX?X?X?[?\?^X?]]?H]]?]B??\??YYZY??X]H\?X?X]H[??[YK??[??\?\X[[????]K\?]H]???Y]?]?[[ZX??H?]\?K\???B??X\?\?H?Z[??H?[?H8?'?[[???\???[???'H[??\??^H]?X???H?X\?\?H\?H]]?]H??\??X?]\?H8?$?\?]H]?[???\??X?[???]?X?[]H??[?\\?[?^H[?????[????[?\?[???\?8?$?]\????Y\?X?H\??][??\?HZ[?[???][?[H??[??H?\?Y[???[?[??\?H??[????H\??]Y]?H?Y\?[?\?\??K?X???[[?\???][H[?H?X\?\?x?&\?X???[??B??X\?\?H??[?HX?H?^H??[??]?X???]?]]?[???[??\??]??Y?][??\?X?H?[[?[??H???X???HY?][?H?Y[?[??X?[???X?B?\??H[[?[???\??[??K??]?\???[??????\??[??HX\??]?[?]?Y??X????[??][?\?H?\????H?X\??\?\?[??\???][?]\?]H]??Y[Z[???[\X?]K??[]?H\?\???\??YHY??X???H?Y?\?[?[???]X?[H?XX?B???\??H?X?[?\???Z[??]]H??Y][???[Z[\??HK???\?H??\?\?[?]]?x?&\??\\??[K[???X?Y?[?NM?H?H[[??]X???\\??B??[H\?X?\?YH???Y\?H?\?X?HB?X?[Z]??[8?'?HY[YY8?&?Z\?Y8?&x?'B??[?H?Y?]?\??][??\?Y?Y[???\??X???[[?]HH?[?[??[???]?[?YH]?[?\??Y[?]?\??[B??\?X[?[?H\?X?\?[??H?[Z[\??[B?[?^[?[??]?\H?H?[?]B?\??[\?H?\?H??[ZY[?]?\?[??[?Y?]??\???[]??[][?B??\??\?H????\???\??H??\?Z[??]?H?Y?]8?$??X?]\????B??[??H?H8?$?[??\??]??Y[XY?[??X??Z[[???Y???X?H?[H??[[???YX?HHX?[]H?Z]\??[X?\??????\????\??[Y\?X?x?&\??\??[X[??Y?????????\???[XZ[??]?YY?XX??[X?\???[\??H?\\?]H?Y?]?\??][?[??[?[H?H???\?[??H??[Z]YK\?X?H]??Y[????YH??HY?\?]]?H??\?[??]\??\?X?\?^?Y\?[???X?[?X??Z[[???Y????Y?H?[X?\????][??]?B??Y[?????Y8?$????HH?\?Y?X?][???^X?]]?H]]?]H??Z\?HHX???Z[[???]?]???\??[?[\??[??HZ[?[???Y?]?[YH][?[B???[??8?$?H[\[Y[?][??H[?Y?YY?X?[Y\?[?\\??[H\?H?\???^H???X[[[?HH???\????Z\?[?HX??Z[[?????\????[????\??HX?H??H?]H?[?Z][???Y]?H[?]Y?]\?[?[??[?[Y\?X?[?X???ZX??X?[]H??YX\?????YK?[??]][???X?H?[H??[????HX\?N??[??[??H?]\?][??]?\?\?]H?[YH[YKH[XY?H[???[?]?H?X?[??\?\??H[?\????HH?]\?][??&\?[??\?Z[?X?[]K???Y?]?\?HX??Z[[??X?X?H\?\?[XY?[???H?\X?X?[?\?H\?H\???H\?HX^H?[?]?[?[?[X?X?H?H?][?[?Y?K???K?????\???????