A new poll finds Americans are pointing the finger at Republican lawmakers for the ongoing partial government shutdown. According to the poll, 50% of respondents said the Republican leadership of Congress deserves most of the blame, compared to 43% who blame Democrats.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, entered its 21st day on Tuesday, making it the third longest in US history. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees were furloughed as a result, causing disruptions such as air travel delays.
Trump’s approval rating has dwindled
Despite the shutdown, President Donald Trump’s approval rating with the Reuters/Ipsos pollster edged up slightly to 42%, up 2 percentage points from earlier in the month — still within the poll’s 2-point margin of error. The president’s approval rating has hovered between 40% and 44% since early April.
About nine in 10 Republicans continue to approve of Trump’s performance, while only one in 20 Democrats say he is doing a good job. Trump’s overall approval rating has fallen from 47% in January, shortly after he returned to the White House.
Finance tax for shutdown
One in five Americans said they have personally been affected financially, and two in five said they know someone who has been affected.
Health insurance subsidies at the center of the gridlock
At the heart of the impasse is a dispute over expiring health insurance subsidies. Democrats have vowed not to support reopening the government unless Republicans agree to extend the subsidies.
The poll found that 72% of respondents — including nearly all Democrats and half of Republicans — support keeping the subsidies, compared with 22% who want them ended. Among those who support the subsidies, 60% say they are important enough to justify keeping the government shut until a deal is reached, while 37% favor reopening the government.
The awkward situation in Congress continues
Republicans currently hold majorities in both houses of Congress, but they need Democratic votes in the Senate to pass legislation to reopen the government. With neither side showing signs of compromise, the stalemate has deepened guerrilla divisions.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted online nationwide from Oct. 15-21, surveyed 4,385 US adults.
