Government Shutdown: Who’s to Blame?

Just as with most political issues in the news, when asked who would be to blame if the federal government shutdown as a result of the Obama administration and Congress not passing a budget, the public splits, and mostly so along partisan lines. Overall, if the government shutdown, 35% would blame President Obama, 36% would blame Republicans and 17% would blame both equally. Republicans would overwhelmingly blame the president for a shutdown. Fully 69% say the Obama administration would be to blame for a government work stoppage, while 17% say the GOP would share blame with the president and 8% would blame their own party. Democrats are just as partisan, with 63% blaming congressional Republicans for a hypothetical shutdown, 17% blaming both and 11% laying blame on the president. True to form, independents are split roughly as the nation overall: 37% would blame Obama, 32% would blame the GOP and 17% would blame both equally. Read More