Obama Wants "Balanced" Approach to Debt Deal, Republicans Give Him Balanced Budget Amendment

There was no vote on the Boehner debt limit plan in the House last night. Despite a day full of positive sentiments about the plan and an evening full of arm-twisting, Boehner couldn't muster the votes. So now he's adding balanced budget amendment trigger vote to the plan:

House Republican leaders plan to tie a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to their two-step debt-ceiling bill — a move that is turning momentum back toward Speaker John Boehner's plan.

Several GOP conservatives had held back their support for Boehner's bill because they wanted the balanced budget amendment provision included. It was the main point of contention in Thursday night's talks between GOP leaders and the holdouts.

The new provision would require a vote before the debt-ceiling could be raised for a second time in February.

That's right: February. Under Boehner's plan, the debt limit gets raised in two stages—half now, half later. So Congress would get to do this all over again next year.