The small band of Tea Party radicals wields its power because most other Republican members of Congress are cowed by the primary threats if they do not adhere strictly to Tea Party dictates. It is not that most would not win primaries from the likely nut jobs that will be thrown up against them. They just do not want to be bothered with the challenge.
Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has had his life as speaker made miserable by this dynamic.
Now that they have drummed him into retirement, he might feel liberated to end these terrorist threats to the country (and to his party).
A simple sentence in the omnibus spending bill would do it: "These spending authorizations will continue in full force and effect until changed by a future enactment."
Want to raise defense spending in the future? Just pass a defense spending bill that alters the omnibus spending bill. Want to defund Planned Parenthood in the future? Just pass a defunding bill in the future. Want to re-order all spending? Just amend the omnibus spending bill.
So, the impact is not to lock these spending authorizations in place. The impact is to lock them in place until changed. That way, the government cannot be shut down.
Another simple phrase would eliminate the debt ceiling fiasco: "and the debt ceiling is raised to accommodate the authorized spending, plus interest, as it occurs".
The full sentence would read: "These spending authorizations will continue in full force and effect until changed by future enactment(s), and the debt ceiling is raised to accommodate the authorized spending, plus interest, as it occurs".
While this would by no means emasculate the Tea Party, it would end fiscal terrorism against the American people.
Better, Mr (retiring) Speaker, to do this in one stroke, and leave a legacy of terror-free governance. The nation's credit rating would improve. And, the stock market would hit new highs.
It would be called the "Boehner boom". I will even drink to that! (I bet Wall Street will reward you with even a higher salary in your next job.)
Democrats and a group of rational Republicans who want their own power restored would pass it. They are going to have to pass the current measure and a debt ceiling hike anyhow for which the Tea Party will try to exact revenge.
Might as well get it all over with, once and for all.