House leaders have indicated that they will not raise the debt ceiling as they have in the past. The president should:
First: Explain to the people how we got here. Congress approved the budget, and approved the tax cuts, and the numbers don't match. There are times when going into debt is OK, similar to student loans or farmers buying equipment.
Second: Explain that in order to keep the lights on, some payments may be delayed NOW, such as corporations that receive tax rebates, or paychecks to wealthy Congress members. Reassure people you will keep them from suffering. If Congress escalates to the point where real people will be hurt, you will choose to interpret their conflicting instructions without harming people.
Last: Explain that Congress needs to fix this broken system.