Poll: Republicans Get More Blame Than Democrats for Potential Shutdown
A new NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll released on September 30 found that respondents would blame Republicans more than Democrats if the federal government were to shut down. The survey revealed a 38-27 margin, with 3 in 10 people saying both parties would be equally responsible.
According to the poll, independents are most likely to share the blame between both parties, with 4 in 10 attributing responsibility to both Republicans and Democrats. Debra Sudbeck, a 71-year-old independent from Nebraska, expressed frustration with the current state of politics. "Neither one wants to compromise," she said. "It's just that Republicans want to do everything they can to antagonize the Democrats, and Democrats want to do everything they can to go against the Republicans. They're just fighting like two little kids."
The poll adds a new layer of complexity to the impending shutdown deadline, which is set for October 1. The federal government has been operating under a continuing resolution since September 30, but lawmakers have yet to reach an agreement on a new spending bill.
Republicans and Democrats have been at odds over funding for various programs, including border security and healthcare. While some Republicans argue that the shutdown would be a necessary measure to address these issues, others see it as a reckless move that would harm the economy and vulnerable populations.
"This is not about politics; this is about policy," said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who has been involved in negotiations on the spending bill. "We need to make sure we're funding our national defense, our border security, and our healthcare programs."
In contrast, some Democrats argue that Republicans are using the shutdown threat as a bargaining chip to advance their own agenda.
"It's not about compromise; it's about power," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who has been critical of Republican efforts to tie funding for border security to other issues. "They're trying to use this as leverage to get what they want, and that's unacceptable."
The poll results suggest that the public is increasingly frustrated with the partisan gridlock in Washington. As the shutdown deadline looms, lawmakers will need to navigate these complex dynamics to reach a deal.
In the meantime, the American people are left wondering whether a government shutdown would be a consequence of Republican or Democratic actions. According to the poll, 3 in 10 respondents say both parties would share the blame, while 38% attribute responsibility solely to Republicans and 27% to Democrats.
The NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll was conducted from September 23-26 among 1,111 adults nationwide. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
*Reporting by Npr.*
