Tea Party Loses As House Approves Debt Ceiling Increase Without Condition

[Purveyor]

By Sean Cockerham
McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives voted narrowly Tuesday to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, likely averting a potential default while also suggesting that the tea-party politics that drove the Republicans to three years of unified fiscal and budget showdowns has lost its clout.

The House approved the measure 221-201. Only 28 Republicans voted for it, with the rest of the support coming from Democrats. Conservative groups called it a sellout to even allow such a vote and demanded that House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, be ousted.

The debt limit increase now goes to the Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the Senate would move quickly to pass it.

“I commend Speaker Boehner for doing the right thing.” Reid said. “We hope this commonsense approach will continue throughout the year so we can actually get some things done.”

“Tonight’s vote is a positive step in moving away from the political brinkmanship that’s a needless drag on our economy,” said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.

The expected approval would extend the government’s borrowing authority until March 2015, allowing it to borrow more money to pay for spending already approved. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew warned this week that the nation likely would start running short of money to pay its bills on Feb. 27 unless the debt limit were raised.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/11/3928702/house-votes-to-raise-debt-ceiling.html#storylink=cpy

[ZombieHorde]

1. Thank you for the sane news. nt

[spanone]

2. k&r....

it's a sad day when congress votes to pay the bills for money THEY already spent and it's big news.

[Cha]

4. I hear ya..but, It was sadder when

they shutdown the gov, spanone.

[Cha]

3. Ohoh! Boehner

getting praise from Senator Reid!

The death knell for brainwashed teanuts.

thanks Purveyor~And, Thank Goodness.. I and millions of others have enough to worry about beside not getting our SS checks. Whew!

Thanks Obama~

[Pretzel_Warrior]

5. Great to hear. I wonder if the orange bawling speaker

Plans to lose his speakership in January 2015

[TexasTowelie]

6. He will get reelected if the GOP holds the House.

The GOP doesn't have any other fall guys to take the blame.

[RedstDem]

7. well there goes a perfect opportunity

If they would schedule it right before the next election, there would be a democratic landslide.
Some people just don't think. Kind of a shame.

[pampango]

8. LA Times Editorial: 28 Republicans now face the tea-party music after debt-limit vote

Right-wing and tea-party groups already have House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) on their enemies list, thanks to his stance on last year's bipartisan budget agreement. One can only wonder what will happen to the rest of the House GOP leadership now that many of them have voted in favor of a -- gasp -- debt-limit increase with no strings attached.

The vote Tuesday was 221 to 201, with 28 Republicans joining 193 Democrats in the yes column. Only two Democrats voted no, alongside 199 Republicans.

Even some tea-party affiliated Republicans had endorsed the idea of a "clean" debt-limit bill on the assumption that it would pass mainly with Democratic votes. That way, they reasoned, Republicans could wash their hands of the distasteful affair and blame Democrats for piling on more debt.

Officially, though, tea-party talking heads were outraged at the vote.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-house-republicans-voting-for-clean-debt-limit-bill-20140211,0,2391643.story#axzz2t6SehXaL