Some people say that President Obama have the option to use the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling in case Congress fails to do so. They are wrong. Obama doesn't have an option to raise the debt ceiling, he has a responsibility to do so. The Constitution says, "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." Obama is therefore REQUIRED to raise the debt ceiling if Congress doesn't. It's not an option. It's something he has to do under the Constitution.