General Discussion

SoutherDem

(2,307 posts) Tue Oct 15, 2013, 09:48 PM Oct 2013

Debt Ceiling Question

I have heard it both ways, we can selectively pay bills and we can't, it is all or nothing. So, which is it?

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

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Debt Ceiling Question (Original Post) SoutherDem Oct 2013 OP

Cannot selectively pay bills, period. 2naSalit Oct 2013 #1

Thanks SoutherDem Oct 2013 #2

Note though that Oct 17th isn't a firm date as to when the Treasury runs out of cash... PoliticAverse Oct 2013 #5

Can't, if for no other reason, much too difficult to DO, elleng Oct 2013 #3

It's not a realistic option - the Treasury processes 3 million to 5 million checks every day. Make7 Oct 2013 #4

2naSalit

(103,809 posts)

1. Cannot selectively pay bills, period.

Reply to SoutherDem (Original post)

Tue Oct 15, 2013, 09:51 PM

Oct 2013

Edited to add: and if we did do that, all soc. security and any other kind of social funding would be cut to make such funds available for paying Tbill indebtedness.

SoutherDem

(2,307 posts)

2. Thanks

Reply to 2naSalit (Reply #1)

Tue Oct 15, 2013, 09:52 PM

Oct 2013

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

5. Note though that Oct 17th isn't a firm date as to when the Treasury runs out of cash...

Reply to SoutherDem (Reply #2)

Tue Oct 15, 2013, 10:08 PM

Oct 2013

Oct. 17 Is Start Rather Than Finish of Debt-Limit Endgame
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-10-15/oct-dot-17-is-start-rather-than-finish-of-debt-limit-crisis-endgame

elleng

(141,926 posts)

3. Can't, if for no other reason, much too difficult to DO,

Reply to SoutherDem (Original post)

Tue Oct 15, 2013, 09:53 PM

Oct 2013

as 'we' pay so many bills of so many kinds every day, no way doing so could be 'programmed.'

Make7

(8,558 posts)

4. It's not a realistic option - the Treasury processes 3 million to 5 million checks every day.

Reply to SoutherDem (Original post)

Tue Oct 15, 2013, 10:01 PM

Oct 2013

Obviously it is a largely automated process and it is wishful thinking that it can be reprogrammed in a matter of days to achieve some desired prioritization without it becoming hopelessly screwed up. In addition, the priorities will probably be changing regularly depending on what cash is available so having to continually redo such a large automated system is pretty much a recipe for disaster.

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