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Lawmakers were struggling Friday to reach an agreement to keep the government funded ahead of a midnight deadline. (Photo: Mish Sukharev/Flickr/cc)
Poll Shows Most Americans Blame Trump and GOP for Shutdown Mess
In past years, the president has argued that the responsibility to keep the government running lies with the White House
Jan 19, 2018
As President Donald Trump and members of Congress point fingers, blaming opposing political parties for a potential government shutdown, the public has spoken. A Washington Post/ABC poll finds that a most Americans would blame Republicans and the president should Congress fail to reach an agreement to keep the government funded by midnight on Friday.
Forty-eight percent of those polled in the survey of more than 1,000 people said they would hold the GOP responsible, while 28 percent said they would blame Democrats. Eighteen percent said both parties would be equally to blame.
Democrats and Trump critics including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have argued this week that with the Republicans in control of both houses of Congress and the White House, they are responsible for keeping the government running.
The GOP's position of power requires them to negotiate with Democrats to reach a deal that would protect undocumented immigrants living under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA)--which has the support of nine in 10 Americans--before the Democrats will agree to a funding deal.
Senate Democrats also noted that in 2013 when the government shut down for more than two weeks, keeping 850,000 federal employees out of work temporarily, Trump made clear who he believed was responsible.
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As President Donald Trump and members of Congress point fingers, blaming opposing political parties for a potential government shutdown, the public has spoken. A Washington Post/ABC poll finds that a most Americans would blame Republicans and the president should Congress fail to reach an agreement to keep the government funded by midnight on Friday.
Forty-eight percent of those polled in the survey of more than 1,000 people said they would hold the GOP responsible, while 28 percent said they would blame Democrats. Eighteen percent said both parties would be equally to blame.
Democrats and Trump critics including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have argued this week that with the Republicans in control of both houses of Congress and the White House, they are responsible for keeping the government running.
The GOP's position of power requires them to negotiate with Democrats to reach a deal that would protect undocumented immigrants living under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA)--which has the support of nine in 10 Americans--before the Democrats will agree to a funding deal.
Senate Democrats also noted that in 2013 when the government shut down for more than two weeks, keeping 850,000 federal employees out of work temporarily, Trump made clear who he believed was responsible.
As President Donald Trump and members of Congress point fingers, blaming opposing political parties for a potential government shutdown, the public has spoken. A Washington Post/ABC poll finds that a most Americans would blame Republicans and the president should Congress fail to reach an agreement to keep the government funded by midnight on Friday.
Forty-eight percent of those polled in the survey of more than 1,000 people said they would hold the GOP responsible, while 28 percent said they would blame Democrats. Eighteen percent said both parties would be equally to blame.
Democrats and Trump critics including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have argued this week that with the Republicans in control of both houses of Congress and the White House, they are responsible for keeping the government running.
The GOP's position of power requires them to negotiate with Democrats to reach a deal that would protect undocumented immigrants living under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA)--which has the support of nine in 10 Americans--before the Democrats will agree to a funding deal.
Senate Democrats also noted that in 2013 when the government shut down for more than two weeks, keeping 850,000 federal employees out of work temporarily, Trump made clear who he believed was responsible.
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