As a compromise in the present stalemate over the debt ceiling, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has proposed the strangest thing I could perhaps have imagined. Under his plan, as I understand it, Congress would transfer control of raising the debt limit to Obama, and so that Congress could then vote against him doing so, even acknowledging that Obama would then be able to override their vote.

This is a ridiculous proposal, and President Obama should not accept it.

First, this action seems transparently designed to create political talking points for the Republicans in the next relection. They would like to campaign on the notion that President Obama does not care about out-of-control spending. In so doing, they would cynically (and probably correctly) rely on the fact that many voters would not look up the history of what actually happened. So they could spin things as they liked if only they could make certain true claims, among them “Obama voted to raise the debt ceiling” and “Republicans in Congress voted not to let him.” It's of no importance to them that the truth would really be “Republicans in Congress, faced with the fact that they would have to raise the debt ceiling, asked Obama to do the honors pro forma” and “after suggesting that Obama raise the limit and knowing they would be unable to stop him, they made a sham appearance of trying to look like they put up a valiant fight.” This kind of theatre should not be given credence, lest it become a way of life.

Second, it is the responsibility of Congress to manage the budget. It should not be delegating unpleasantries to other people or agencies. The reason Congress has this power is so that it is accountable to the people. Why can they delegate responsibility to the President? Just because they want to? Could they also delegate the responsibility to, say, Grover Norquist or the Koch Brothers? It is a bad precedent to set. It seems specifically designed to make Congress appear not to be responsible for an action that is plainly under the Constitution the responsibility of Congress.

Third, the power to raise the debt limit should not be within the power of the Presidency because it robs the nation of robust debate. The Republicans of all people should realize this. Even though I think the debt ceiling should be raised, I think it is still a serious matter, and should not be within the power of one individual to unilaterally control. Rather, the deliberative nature of Congress should be engaged to make sure that all points of view are heard.

Fourth, I'm a little concerned that the power to raise the debt limit suggests the emerging possibility of a Presidential power to perhaps also lower the debt limit unilaterally in a way a number of Republicans have recently suggested they wished they could do. I would have concern that such a move could come suddenly and without warning as a way of “starving the beast.” That would be very bad, and would make it very risky to ever elect anyone who might even think seriously about doing such a thing. And while I'm not presently in the mode of wanting to elect a Republican, neither am I wanting the US to become a one-party system. I think the pendulum has swung way too far to the Right lately and needs to swing back toward the middle, but I also think further down the road it may need to go the other way. And it's important that the processes we have in place to govern us will work no matter who is elected, Democrat or Republican.

The President needs to reach a resolution with the Republicans quickly. But this proposal by McConnell does not seem workable to me. The Republicans need to do their sworn duty and protect the United States from catastrophic financial failure. They need to raise the debt ceiling. And then we can talk about other matters.