President Obama can end this shut-down by Executive Order
a double edged sword
not being a Constitutional scholar or for that matter an expert of anything and after reading a couple of pertinent articles, I have come to the conclusion the President can raise the debt ceiling by EO using Sec 4 of the 14th Amendment.
An EO pertains to the federal government and as such is a qualified procedure. Now "Section 4 confirmed the legitimacy of all U.S. public debt appropriated by the Congress." (wiki). Unfortunately there is a catch.
This only works for monies already appropriated. Thus when the appropriation process ends and all funds have been disbursed, the president has no recourse.
On the Constitutional side the issue is moot and it would be anyone's best guess what the legalities are.
When Pres Clinton made reference to it perhaps he did not think it through.
Now ... where are the legal scholars and their educated opinions?
