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Sen. Jim DeMint, (R-SC), on why Obama should not use the Fourteenth Amendment to raise the debt ceiling on his own.
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The deadline to keep America from going into default is less than two weeks away President Obama in talks right this very minute with Republicans at the White House.
This is a former President Bill Clinton says if he's president.
He ignore congress altogether and use the fourteenth amendment to raise the debt ceiling.
It says the validity of the public debt of the United States shall not be questioned.
So is President Clinton writes let's -- Republican senator Jim -- of South Carolina he's the author of the new book.
The great American awakening.
Senator welcome great see you.
Thank you Jerry and I think the fourteenth amendment does exactly the opposite of that it.
But it re issuers and the whole lot power of the purse is in the hands of congress.
And fortunately congress is acting at least the Republicans out on the house we we passed a bill yesterday that gives the president the increase in the debt limit.
And we're just asking him to work with us to make some reasonable cuts and to allow the states to decide if the federal government should balance its budget.
Right well I want to respond directly to Clinton comments here's what he said without hesitation.
I would force the courts to stop me I think the constitution clear and I think this idea that congress gets to vote twice on whether to pay for expenditures.
It is -- appropriated is crazy.
What do you make of that and -- Clinton in this conversation anyway.
I don't know why he's in the conversation and I think if -- the president wants to challenge the constitution and elderly of the law itself.
That something has to do but just to ignore the -- go around it violates his oath of office because there is a debt limit law.
That congress put in place and -- he needs to abide by it until it's changed.
Cut capital balance that passing the house and is that the way to go it seems like the gang of six is really gaining currency with some of its ideas right now which is the right plan.
There's only one plan -- in writing there's only one that I think meets the criteria of the rating agencies Moody's and Standard and Poor's.
You know they said we need to raise the debt limit but if we do without credible.
And long term deficit reduction that they're still -- -- downgrade our bonds and that's gonna hurt our country so.
Just raising the debt limit is not the solution here we need to come up with some real cuts.
Some caps on spending over ten years and we need to do something permanent that brings congress.
And -- into some accountability.
And we think that's a constitutional amendment but it.
If the president disagrees with the size of our cuts the size of our -- if he wants a different kind of balanced budget amendment.
We need to hear from him but the fact is there's only one bill on all on the 88 on the table in Washington right now.
That raises a debt limit and I think it's the only one that could pass the house so.
I'm hoping that Democrats senators will at least allow us to proceed to a debate on it.
If they filibuster the only bill.
That we've got that I don't know where else we're gonna go in the next week.
And we've only -- two weeks so the clock right taking tic tac right now let's take -- to a slightly different conversation and that's about Chris Christie the New Jersey governor.
Planning a trip to Iowa next week all eyes focused on him -- -- helping geo T Red -- -- raise money for his reelection can campaign but.
-- that's just seems a little lot been made you think he's gonna run for president.
I don't know I was in Iowa awhile back and I'm not running for president of but I think Chris Christie is inspired a lot of Americans with his courage.
He's made the tough decisions that we never make here in Washington and I think that's what Americans expect of us right now.
So Chris Christie Scott Walker John -- other governors have to balance their budget.
We -- to be in that same situation here in Washington so that's why so many others are pushing for.
A constitutional amendment that sometime over the next next decade will bring our budget and a balance if we can't do that -- we're gonna bankrupt our country.
Well we're well on our way that right this very minute now I think I just heard you say you're not gonna run for president MR -- You -- -- for -- -- absolutely no way no how I'm asking the question just like Chris Christie gets asked.
When nothing's absolute and life but -- at this point I have no plans to run for president and I think is getting a little late SOA.
Will say yeah I'm looking for some strong candidates to emerge from the field and I think some some more will will join in the next -- weeks.
So we're gonna have some good Republican nominees it's not a weak field at all.
-- you know your -- sort of seems like you know one of those books that presidential hopefuls put out.
Explaining their positions under the and then mark rubio rights and energy action -- be great vice presidential candidate MI reading too much into this.
You know the book is to thank Americans for what they did in the last two years and to point out.
Again and again that they have the power to change things here in Washington.
So I wanted people to see what was happening behind the scenes in Washington.
When the Tea Party got active when people went to town halls and came to rallies.
And when they went to them the voting Booth in November and sent us some new senators and congressmen.
But the last two chapters of the great American -- pointing out that 2012.
Could be our last chance to actually turn this country away from a cliff.
And I'm asking people to redouble their efforts we made Americans right now with this debt limit Tibet and the debate to let.
Let folks know in Washington.
That we need to stop this insanity of spending and barring.
And come up with some plan.
That'll bring us back towards a balanced -- some.
I'm hoping folks -- read this and understand that the power in Washington Israeli and their hands.
Well I had that financial crisis is real and it's right now -- -- thanks for coming on the show great to have you gotta come back.
Thanks Jerry.
