“Raising the debt ceiling is shaping up as a difficult early vote for the new House GOP majority. Many of the new Republican lawmakers harshly criticized their Democratic opponents during the campaign for voting to raise the limit in the past, citing it as an example of the Democrats’ recklessness with federal tax dollars.

“But on Thursday, Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio) said he’s been talking to the newly elected GOP lawmakers about the need to raise the federal debt ceiling when it comes up early next year…

“‘We’re going to have to deal with it as adults,’ he said, in what apparently are his most explicit comments to date. ‘Whether we like it or not, the federal government has obligations and we have obligations on our part.'”

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“‘The message emerging from this survey, is Americans want to hit the Washington reset button,’ said Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted the poll with Republican pollster Bill McInturff, ‘but they’re skeptical cooperation can replace combat and that progress can supplant gridlock.’

“The country sees President Obama as more likely to show a willingness to work with Republicans than vice-versa – 67% said Obama is likely to work with Republicans versus just 45% who said the same of the GOP. But that’s the way the Republican base likes it, according to the poll. The country is split on whether it wants elected officials to compromise — 47% say they do, 43% say they don’t. And just 27% of Republicans want elected candidates to compromise; 63% want them to stick to their campaign positions. In contrast, 64% of Democrats want compromise while 28% do not, and 46% of independents do versus 39% who don’t.”

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“The head of the influential Americans for Tax Reform is encouraging the new House Republican majority to adopt a take-no-prisoners approach to federal spending — and if that leads to a 1995-style government shutdown, so be it…

“Norquist’s provocative comments should serve as a warning to the White House about the resolve of the administration’s adversaries.

“They also mark a sharp departure from the humble, postelection messages from Boehner and provide insight into the challenge the Ohio Republican will face in managing his new majority and its enlarged and emboldened tea party corner.”