Yesterday was a good day for House Republicans, who threw a spotlight on the attempt by Democrats to change House rules to avoid tough votes. Simply put, the ‘motion to recommit’ allows the minority to force a vote on any germane amendment to a given bill. The move by House Democrats would have dramatically narrowed the scope of what could be offered. This is particularly important in the context of the new House rule that blocks enactment of legislation that would increase the deficit. Democrats would be required to spell out spending cuts, or go on the record in support of tax increases to pay for new programs But faced with the prospect of the House floor blowing up in their faces, Democrats backed down–for now, at least. It’s very likely that they will try to change the rules again–perhaps in a matter of a few weeks. The whole incident led to this great piece in the Politico: