A Potential Solution to the Debt Ceiling

I'd like to take one argument that I have heard a lot of folks, particularly on the left make, and use that to make an argument about how we might manage the debt ceiling.  First the argument and what I think is wrong with it.  You can find a simple version of it here.  Trying to ignore some of the invective, the crux of the argument is:

Obama has said he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling increase.  Good…I hope he sticks to that, because the debt ceiling shouldn’t be something that ever needs to be negotiated.  It shouldn’t even need authorization by Congress, it should simply be required that the U.S. Treasury have the capability to always pay the bills that Congress has already authorized.  The “trillion-dollar platinum coin” issue has been making the rounds as an option for Obama to bypass Congress if the GOP continues to play with economic disaster by making the debt-ceiling a political football. 

Now, the part of this statement is true is that Congress has already authorized spending that will push us above the debt ceiling but, in point of fact, it hasn't authorized very much, probably less than $300 billion.

1.  The Senate has not proposed and Congress has not passed a budget in more than 3 years.  Thus, there is no agreed upon spending blueprint for FY2013.

2.  The government is currently being run via a series of continuing resolutions.  The latest CR expires in March of 2013

3.  Assuming Secretary Geitner was correct that we hit the current ceiling on 12/31/12, this means that Congress has agreed to run the government for about 3 months post the passing of the ceiling.  Leaving aside timing effects, this means that the government would have about 1/4 of the annual deficit of say $1.1 trillion or about $275 billion to cover.

So yes, the government has agreed to spend $275 billion above the debt ceiling but not more than that.  Thus, the argument made by so many only justifies raising the debt ceiling by $275 billion.

However, there's the germ of a solution in the overall point.  I'd propose that Congress do the following.

1.  Immediately raise the debt ceiling by $275 billion dollars in what is called a "clean increase" of the debt ceiling.

2.  Attach an increase in the debt ceiling of whatever amount is required to the CR that much be passed prior to March 27.  In my view, I would increase the debt ceiling by 110% of the projected deficit created.

3.  Require that a debt ceiling increase be attached to each house's budget and that budget resolutions were the only way to raise the debt ceiling.  Thus, when each house passed its budget it would also be passing an increase to the debt ceiling and budget bills would be required to be passed, else the debt ceiling could not be increased.

4.  Finally, require a "true up" process at the end of every year.  That is, the ceiling could be adjusted for variance from projected costs and revenues but "only" for technical projections.  This could be done during the following year's budget process.

The consequence?  Well, the House, Senate and White House would have to agree on a budget (in order to increase the debt ceiling) and that increase would already be baked into law.  We might have to do some true ups when the economy tanks or thrives but, over time, those should cancel each other out.

Of course Congress would hate this because they'd have to pass a budget and they'd have to raise the debt ceiling showing how much debt they were adding every year.  But wouldn't this be much better approach to it than the current mess?