“What we have to be able to do is demonstrate that we’re capable of doing hard things,” said Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune (S.D.).

“Healthcare reform is hard. Tax reform is hard. We’ve got to pivot now to tax reform and get an outcome.”

The party has no easy way out on the debt-ceiling dilemma. With Republicans in charge of Congress and the White House, the party will get the full blame if it fails to hike the borrowing limit and financial problems ensue.