(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) BY SCOTT MALONE ANCHOR NEVILLE MILLER With the fiscal cliff in the rearview mirror, Washington lawmakers are preparing for their next great debate — over raising the debt ceiling. But some are buying into an unusual fix for the country’s growing problem. First, some context. “There has been talk of minting a trillion dollar coin. Economists, legal scholars, even a congressman suggest it could be used to pay the nation’s debt.” (Via WCMH ) “Here’s how it works. There are limits to the amount of paper money and coins the government can produce. But there is a loophole for coins made out of platinum.” (Via KMBC ) “The government is allowed by law to mint platinum coins of any amount. Just deposit a trillion dollar coin into the federal reserve and we’re suddenly below the debt ceiling, right?” (Via KOB ) The coin course of action doesn’t require congressional consent - but there is a congressman behind the idea. New York Democrat Jerry Nadler appeared on MSNBC to explain the benefits of the big-buck coin. “And then the treasury can pay its bills. Now you’re not increasing borrowing, you’re not borrowing anything. You’re not having inflation ‘cause you’re not spending more money. You’re still spending the amount of money that congress voted to spend.” Nadler and other supporters say the big piece of pocket change could help the president buy more time as lawmakers fight over the debt ceiling. But analysts at Fox News say this so-called solution is a sign of the times. “It spoke of our times, where we are going through hoops to come up with creative ways to keep the game going rather than just deal with the debt. It’s gone up 60% under the president’s watch.” CNN spoke with several Republicans about the issue, and they say the idea of the trillion dollar coin is all just a fairy tale. “This is waving pixie dust over the debt and pretending that the debt is going to go away by this, what I view as just another one of these washington gimmicks. And minting new coins isn’t gonna do anything about that fundamental problem.” One analyst for Fox Business says: with the precedent a move like this would set, why stop at a one trillion dollar coin? “Once we mint the trillion dollar coin, I think then the next move should be minting the gazillion dollar coin because I think that’s completely realistic.” President Obama has not made any indication he’s buying into the idea — though he’s also said he won’t negotiate with Congress over the debt ceiling.