I have a modest proposal to deal with the impending cash flow problem and to avoid a default on United States debt, on or about December 11, 2015. I've discussed the general questions it relates to in messages to a certain staff person at Daily Kos. Default is a real possibility, with the Republican Conference in turmoil. I'm linking to some related diaries -- my apologies if I don't link your relevant diary.
Laura Clawson has shown that Ben Carson doesn't understand the debt limit, but I suspect the same is true of much of the "Freedom" Caucus. We are, in Greg Sargent's words, being held "hostage", as another diary notes well.
The House Republicans are in chaos, and another diarist here has suggested a coalition government. One Democratic Congressman, Mark Takano, has suggested looking on Craigslist for a new Speaker.
While well-meaning, please see below the orange curls for possible solutions involving Executive action.
One diarist has already suggested that President Obama defund Federal government offices in "red states" only. I'm certain that's unconstitutional, under both the Faithful Execution clause, and the Privileges and Immunities Clause as well as other provisions of the US Constitution. Shutting down or not paying the Congress and Federal Courts would implicate the Separation of Powers doctrine. The GOP House would impeach Obama within minutes; they no doubt have already drafted articles of impeachment. The pain has to be spread around, both poor and rich, both Red and Blue, if we are going to cut, cut, cut the budget. This might seem better than even another sequester, which is about as random the cuts can be. Please, don't add any comments about how we need to play chicken with the insane and shut down on 12/11. We should at least wait until Christmas to keep at least parts of the US government going.
I think a better way would be to shut down funding in order of the creation of each Cabinet department. It would be orderly and have some sense, even if not entirely logical, and allow for the Federal government to operate for a few more weeks with its cash flow at the time.
So the 1st on the chopping block for furloughs would be the Department of State; all passport and visa applications and Foreign Service transportation to overseas postings would halt on Day 1. The next day, non-essential Treasury employees would furloughed. On Day 3, non-essential civilian Pentagon employees would stay home, and the Commander in Chief would start ordering our brave men and women in uniform home from overseas, the first cohorts from the least dangerous places (Europe, the Americas). By Day 4, AUSAs and FBI agents working for the Department of Justice, but not actually in trial or hearings as of that week, would be sent home. On Day 5, the National Park System under the aegis of the Interior department, gets shut down. If this continues, on Day 6, farm supports and related payments get frozen from the Agriculture department, because the civil servants who process those will be furloughed. After a week, the Department of Commerce furloughs its entire workforce, followed on Day 8 by the Labor department. HHS Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements to hospitals, clinics, medical doctors, and Planned Parenthood stop going out on Day 9. By Day 10, if this continues, Section 8 checks from HUD to landlords will be halted. I hope that Congress won't force Obama to shut down all US airports, and that he'll be urged until Christmas to stop the furloughs. Otherwise, the voters will blame Congress when airports (Transportation), or all nuclear reactors (Energy) and Pell grants (Education) are halted, and then the VA and DHS have to furlough their workers.
Since Amtrak, the USPS, PBS, and other public benefit corporations are separately funded, it would continue to operate, as would any truly urgent National Security programs.