'Doesn't matter': Democrats reject GOP's debt limit demands

Senate Republicans dramatically changed their party rules to take a hard line on the debt limit in the coming months. Democrats don't care.

In fact, the Democratic majority says it has no intention of negotiating with Republicans bent on slashing spending as a condition for avoiding default after the July 31 deadline. Democrats say they won't haggle with the minority party over the faith and credit of the United States, citing lessons from the presidency of Barack Obama.

The diametrically opposed views heading toward a cutoff point that regularly vexes...