GOP’s debt-limit hostage-taking

Re “The debt ceiling stupidity turns up again,” column, Jan. 18

Section 4 of the 14th Amendment, the U.S. Constitution’s public debt clause, proclaims, “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.”

Given this constitutional requirement, isn’t it time to put an end to this malaise and just have the president issue an executive order to eliminate the debt ceiling limit altogether, since Congress failed to do this on its own?

John Winkelman Rancho Mission Viejo

Back in 2011, the national debt hovered near $15 trillion. Today, we’re at about $31.5 trillion. This week, the federal government reached its debt ceiling.

Congress spends too much money, period. The Republicans and Democrats are almost equally bad at it. Some Republicans want to use the debt ceiling fight to lower future spending. The chances of their being successful are slim to none.

Congress just spends and spends with no thought of financial responsibility. That is a formula for disaster.

Readers should check out the book “This Time Is Different,” by Harvard economists Kenneth Rogoff and Carmen Reinhart. Too much debt leads to the decline and ultimate destruction of great countries, and the U.S. today is not exempt from this outcome. Doug McDermott

Santa Monica

I am a bit confused by the Republicans’ concern about raising the federal debt limit. If it wasn’t for the easy access to credit in America, our economy would not be as successful as it is.

Every day I am besieged with credit offers, teaser rates and increased limits even though I have more than enough accounts and am retiring those I no longer use.

Perhaps the Republicans can turn their attention to growing consumer debt and offer some policy changes to reverse that.

June Thompson

Los Angeles

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen could begin preparing to avoid default by withholding all congressional operating budgets (especially lawmakers’ pay). Thomas Ostwald Santa Barbara