Republican Leaders: Too Quick to Give in?

Yesterday we found out that top Republican leaders had met with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and said that they would vote to raise the debt ceiling regardless of the deal includes spending cuts.

I understand a desire to be cautious, but after giving in on the 2011 budget, this is not the way to prove yourselves as dedicated fiscal conservatives.
Moreover, this is a very silly negotiation strategy. What's the motivation for the Democrats to cut spending now? They already know that they will get what they want...

On a happier note, Jim DeMint publicly stated that he will not vote to raise the debt ceiling unless it is accompanied by a Balanced Budget Amendment. These are the kinds of things Congressmen should be saying: not just asking for a "plan to fix the deficit" in return for a vote, but a full solution that would fundamentally change the way the problem is viewed.

With all things considered, Tea Party groups will certainly exact their threats on Boehner and "primary" him. And maybe that's not such a bad thing.

A significant majority in the House and a near majority in the Senate should be enough that republicans don't quiver when confronted with the Democrats' foolish demands (like raising the debt ceiling without spending cuts or an amendment). And if they do, they are obviously unaware of the fiscally conservative swing the public is in!

(I do not think the public would have been upset with Republicans in the case of a shutdown if it had lead to greater spending cuts...after all that is what the polls said. Thoughts?)