Some Republicans question GOP's debt ceiling stance

Some Republicans and conservatives are questioning GOP plans to use the debt ceiling to leverage spending cuts from the Obama administration.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner editorial board that Congress should not risk a government default by refusing to raise the debt ceiling, which gives the government authority to borrow money to pay existing debts.

"If you incur an obligation, you have a responsibility to pay for that," Murkowski told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, a conservative group called Americans for Prosperity (AFP) — which is backed in part by the Koch family, big time Republican donors — is urging the GOP to show restraint in the upcoming debt ceiling debate, the Financial Times reports.

"We're saying calibrate your message," said AFP President Tim Phillips. "Focus on overspending instead of long-term debt. Focusing on (the debt ceiling) makes the messaging more difficult."

The U.S. could breach its $16.4 trillion debt ceiling in mid-February or early March, and some Republicans say that prospect is the best way to force the Obama administration to cut spending.

"Spending is the problem, and Republicans will not simply provide a blank check for the president," said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. " We will do our jobs and pass a budget that reduces spending, pays our bills and keeps the government running — and we will insist that the Democrats who run Washington do the same."

For his part, President Obama has said he will not negotiate with congressional Republicans on the debt ceiling because Congress is obligated to pay the nation's bills.

And the White House is certainly enjoying signs of Republican infighting.

Tweeted communications director Dan Pfeiffer on Tuesday: "Between Sen Murkowski, Koch-Group and others, today was not a good day for GOPers who want to use threat of default to extract Medicare cuts."