The Constitution and the National Debt
According to the Constitution, the responsibility for the National Debt clearly lies with Congress - though many members of Congress have taken a pledge that interferes with that responsibility.
Congress is perilously close to defaulting on the loans the United States has received from other countries.
Not only is it irresponsible for our country to default on its loans, but the consequences would be serious for US citizens and for our financial institutions.
Although there has been much blaming, buck passing, and finger-pointing - the responsibility for the budget and the debt clearly lies with Congress.
It was unwise to pass tax cuts while the country was fighting two wars and irresponsible to insist on extending the tax cuts while our country was still at war, deeply in debt, and trying to recover from an economic recession.
The Constitution is clear about the responsibilities of Congress.
Article 1, Section 7 provides that "all Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives" and that the Senate may concur or propose amendments as on other Bills.
It provides that the President must sign the bill for it to become law, and if he does not, it shall be returned to Congress to reconsider it - or Congress may overcome the President's objection by passing it in both houses by a two thirds majority.
Further, Section 8 provides that "Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States.
" Among the powers Section 8 enumerates is the power to "Borrow money on the credit of the United States.
" Would it be wrong to assume that the body given the power to borrow the money would not also be responsible for paying the debt - particularly when that same body has the responsibility of creating the budget? Congress is clearly responsible for raising the revenue to pay our debts and run our government.
Amendment XVI to the Constitution, passed in 1913, says "Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.
" However, many of our Legislators have sworn an oath not to carry out the responsibilities of their office.
As of 2009, 172 members of the House of Representatives and 34 members of the Senate had taken Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform pledge not to raise taxes.
Clearly, the pledge conflicts with their responsibilities under the Constitution and those who took the pledge need to decide whether their loyalties lie with the U.
S.
Constitution or with an anti-tax ideology.
(c) 2011 J.
C.
Moore
Congress is perilously close to defaulting on the loans the United States has received from other countries.
Not only is it irresponsible for our country to default on its loans, but the consequences would be serious for US citizens and for our financial institutions.
Although there has been much blaming, buck passing, and finger-pointing - the responsibility for the budget and the debt clearly lies with Congress.
It was unwise to pass tax cuts while the country was fighting two wars and irresponsible to insist on extending the tax cuts while our country was still at war, deeply in debt, and trying to recover from an economic recession.
The Constitution is clear about the responsibilities of Congress.
Article 1, Section 7 provides that "all Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives" and that the Senate may concur or propose amendments as on other Bills.
It provides that the President must sign the bill for it to become law, and if he does not, it shall be returned to Congress to reconsider it - or Congress may overcome the President's objection by passing it in both houses by a two thirds majority.
Further, Section 8 provides that "Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States.
" Among the powers Section 8 enumerates is the power to "Borrow money on the credit of the United States.
" Would it be wrong to assume that the body given the power to borrow the money would not also be responsible for paying the debt - particularly when that same body has the responsibility of creating the budget? Congress is clearly responsible for raising the revenue to pay our debts and run our government.
Amendment XVI to the Constitution, passed in 1913, says "Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.
" However, many of our Legislators have sworn an oath not to carry out the responsibilities of their office.
As of 2009, 172 members of the House of Representatives and 34 members of the Senate had taken Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform pledge not to raise taxes.
Clearly, the pledge conflicts with their responsibilities under the Constitution and those who took the pledge need to decide whether their loyalties lie with the U.
S.
Constitution or with an anti-tax ideology.
(c) 2011 J.
C.
Moore
Source...