Washington (CNN) -- The bar has never been lower for the nearly 100 freshmen of the 113th Congress who were sworn-in on Thursday. After all, it won't take much to exceed the abysmal approval rating of the previous Congress. Despite the usual burst optimism of a freshman class on Capitol Hill and the sentiment to reach across the aisle and dissolve partisan gridlock, recent history shows those pledges are destined to falter like so many New Year's resolutions. "On the day people are sworn in they are entitled to dream," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "The idea that they are going to bridge the unbridgeable gap between the two parties is indeed a dream."
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NEW: John Boehner re-elected House speaker; says U.S. debt must be tamed
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The fiscal cliff was averted, but issues like the the sequester and debt ceiling await
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Congress will vote on scaled-back aid to Superstorm Sandy victims on Friday
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Democrats gain seats in both chambers, but Republicans keep control of the House
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