Better than the Debt Ceiling

Newt Gengrich was on Meet the Press this morning, and he did toss out one good idea.  Newt is full of ideas, many of them bad, but this is a good one. 
   We have the federal debt ceiling coming up and the newsies are talking up a big fight along the lines of "Do spending cuts or we shut the government down".  They tried this two years ago, gained a lot of negative press and just a few fake cuts.
  Newt points out that we have a "Continuing Resolution" coming up.  The Republicans could refuse to pass that, and instead pass the proper spending bills, one for each department.  You want the cut spending?  Then cut the spending bill.  Works like right now.  Newt suggests that a spending cut fight centered around the continuing resolution and spending bills would be easier to win, less damaging, and very effective. 
    Could it be, that politicians like the debt ceiling 'cause it's just money, we aren't talking about cutting any interest group's program.  Whereas when you get into appropriations, you have to vote on real programs, each of which has people getting money thru it, and who will be angered if their gravy train stops running.