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Now we know how many House Republicans want to destroy the US economy. 144 House Republicans voted for default, and against raising the debt limit.

House Republicans finally waved the white flag of surrender by passing the Democratic bill to raise the debt limit and reopen the government, 285-144.

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144 House Republicans voted against raising the debt limit and for default. 85 Republicans voted for raising the debt limit and opening the government. Nancy Pelosi delivered all the Democrats in support of the bill.

Pelosi was no fan of the legislation. She called the spending levels too low, but she urged House Democrats to vote for passage. During the 30 minutes of debate before the final vote, House Republicans continued to rant and rave against everything from Obamacare to raising the debt ceiling, but like the ramblings of an old man yelling at cars on a busy street corner, no one gave them much attention.

Everyone knew that this was the end for the House Republicans. Their boastful floor speeches about defunding the ACA had melted into the bitter complaining of those too delusional to understand why they were defeated. If anything was made clear today, it was that House and Senate Republicans have learned nothing.

I suspect that the upcoming budget conference may go nowhere. Paul Ryan may stomp off in a huff after Patty Murray tells him that The Fountainhead is not a budgetary document. The country may find itself back in this very same position in January or February of 2014. The message to all Democrats is that they are going to have to remain united, and stay prepared to confront the same House Republicans again in a few months.

These House Republicans will be plotting from this moment forward to defund or repeal the ACA. They are obsessed with the healthcare reform law. They aren’t going to stop, just because Democrats stood up to them once.

The ultimate humiliation for John Boehner was that he not only had to pass a clean CR and increase in the debt ceiling, but that he passed a bill that was written by Senate Democrats. House Republicans remained absolutely blind to the needs of the country that they are supposed to be serving. These 144 members of the House love to wrap themselves in the flag, but the flag they were wearing tonight was definitely not the Red, White, and Blue.