Season 3, Episode 23 (Show 127): Crossfire on the Ceiling – Special Guests Jack Balkin and Saikrishna Prakash

May 31, 2023

The debt ceiling situation is coming down to some sort of a wire.  We bring leading experts on the left and the right to debate it for your benefit.

Congress is attempting to pass a bill that would implement a deal that President Biden reached with Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans.  The issues are many – what does the President due if the bill is not passed?  How imminent is the threat of default?  Would a default be constitutional?  Does the Constitution require any action by the President in such a situation?  What does the 14 Amendment, Section 4, say about this?  What does an originalist analysis of the global situation look like? We bring the best experts from both sides of the political aisle for a vigorous but intellectually honest debate on the subject, and in the process, hope to find some areas of agreement and wide areas to enrich our audience.