Hey Democrats, You Want a "Clean" Debt Ceiling Bill? You Got It

And it failed (from Morning Jolt):

USA Today breaks it to the president:

The U.S. House today rejected a GOP bid to increase the debt limit without any spending cuts to go along with it, in an effort designed by Republicans to put President Obama and Democrats on the political hot seat.

The bill was set up to fail by House Speaker John Boehner and his leadership team to show the need for deep spending cuts and budget changes to go along with any increase in the nation's $14.3 trillion borrowing authority.

In the end, the bill was rejected on a 97-318 vote. No Republicans voted for the measure. . . .

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., blasted Republicans before the debate began for playing games when defaulting on government loans is at risk.

"If we were adults and acting as adults, we would come together and give certainty to the markets that, 'Of course, America's going to pay its bills," said Hoyer, who planned to vote against the so-called "clean" debt limit increase.

Wait, wasn't a "clean" bill what the White House wanted? Isn't that what the Democrats have been jumping up and down and demanding until now? 

Why yes it is, Phil Klein reminds us:

Just last month, 114 Democrats signed a letter calling for a "clean" vote and Democratic Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., also advocated one. But today, Hoyer announced he was advising his caucus to vote against the measure. Ultimately, just 97 Democrats voted for it, with 82explicitly voting against it (on top of the seven "present" votes). A total of 10 members (six Democrats, four Republicans) did not vote.

The American people want real spending cuts and won't accept a higher debt ceiling without them.