A Modest Proposal.

Like it or not, the Congress will have to raise the debt ceiling. I don't like it either, but yes, they will. If they don't, the President will have the ability to almost unilaterally cut spending necessary to keep us under the ceiling. And you know what he will do - muck up things the average, not-that-much-into-political-tussles American will notice and get angry about - close National Parks, stop Social Security payments to Granma, stop paying the troops, stop paying out creditors, etc., etc. Fiscally irresponsible in the extreme, yes, but it makes great Alinskyesque political theatre. Especially with The Left / Mainstream Media pushing White House talking points without question.

But, as this article points out, raising the debt isn't going win any points for Democrats with the average Joe and Jane. They (the Democrats) don't want to be the ones holding the bag here, either, especially with so many vulnerable seats in 2012.

Which gives Boehner, Ryan, Rubio, (Rand) Paul, etc., a golden opportunity to cut a deal. Not a promise for a few billion off here or there, but something big.

(Crapgamevoice) You know... a deal deal. (/Crapgamevoice) Like...

Tell Pelosi, Reid, etc., that the GOP will vote to raise the debt ceiling say, $1 trillion, if the Democrats agree to vote out a Balanced Budget Amendment to the States. There are several already introduced into the Congress this session . It takes two-thirds of the Congress to vote on a proposed Amendment before it goes to the States, so support from moderate/conservative Democrats is essential for the two-thirds number. Most States already live within such constraints, and I think they would be more than pleased to have the Feds do the same.

Whatever happens, the GOP can not let this opportunity go by and get a pittance (a few billion here and there) in return. That is not what they were sent there to do, and they will fare almost as bad as the Democrats in 2012 if they come out of this with a few lumps of coal in their bag.

If the folks on Capitol Hill want to do something like this, they better act fast.