Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) tells National Review Online that he will not filibuster the spending deal or the debt-ceiling vote, but will likely vote against both, unless Democrats make serious concessions.

“I don’t much how much Republicans can do, other than just decide that we are going to shut down the government until the president leads,” DeMint says. “But that is irresponsible, too.”

On the debt ceiling, DeMint would have to see a balanced-budget amendment passed, or spending caps implemented, before he would ever consider voting for the measure. However, he cautions, “strategically, with regards to how we deal with it, we have not decided, but I would be surprised if we got a clean vote on the debt ceiling. It will probably be combined with something that Republicans like.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) would also like to use the debt-ceiling vote to attempt to pass a balanced-budget amendment. “We have a lot of leverage and I think we ought to use it,” he says. Instead of filibustering, “let’s have an up-or-down vote and let the Democrats be the ones to pass it.” Cornyn, who runs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, would not mind “contrasting” the approach of both parties, to make vulnerable Democrats wriggle.

Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) tells reporters that he has not “talked” about a debt-ceiling filibuster yet, but is not ruling out that option. “We really need to be worried about the state of our country,” he says. He is also pushing for a balanced-budget amendment.