Opinion | Avoiding future debt ceiling debates

That is not the plan. He is the ringleader of this theater, creating the opportunity for his MAGA wing to parade opposition before the base, with no intention of following through on forcing a “debt crisis.”

Unfortunately, this sham appears to be completely successful. Members of the Freedom Caucus have become heroes to their voters and have pushed President Biden into the media shadows. The negotiations between the White House and Mr. McCarthy have set a terrible precedent, placing future debt ceiling legislation at risk of more melodrama. As Mr. Robinson opined, the nation should eliminate the debt ceiling.

William C. McCauley, Charlottesville

Here’s a wild and crazy idea — a way to deal with debt ceilings going forward. Currently, the debt limit is a stand-alone number, a separate piece of legislation independent of how much money has been authorized and spent. So we’ve gotten into a situation where we’ve authorized more spending than revenue we’ve taken in, and can’t borrow enough to cover the bills we’ve already run up without exceeding the debt limit.

How about if every bill that spends money — budgets, appropriations, off-budget allocations (such as special aid to Ukraine or after a hurricane, etc.) has to include a projection of its effect on the debt, a corresponding adjustment to the debt limit and specifications of where spending reductions must occur (and by how much) if actual revenue is less than was assumed in the spending bill’s projections?

No more running up debts we might not be able to pay without Congress raising the limit.

Bruce Reaves, Gibsonville, N.C.