CNN Shutdown Poll: Plenty of blame to go around
Washington (CNN) - Most Americans say the government shutdown is causing a crisis or major problems for the country, according to a new national poll.
And while a CNN/ORC International survey also indicates that slightly more people are angry at Republicans than Democrats or President Barack Obama for the shutdown, it is clear that both sides are taking a hit.
The poll, conducted over the weekend, was released on Monday, nearly one week into the partial shutdown over a push by tea party backed GOP lawmakers trying to dismantle or defund Obama's signature health care reform law.
According to the poll, 63% of those questioned say they are angry at the Republicans for the way they have handled the shutdown.
"But the Democrats are not getting off scot-free. Fifty-seven percent of Americans are also angry at the way the Democrats are dealing with the shutdown. And a 53% majority say they are also angry at President Obama," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "It looks like there is more than enough blame to go around and both parties are being hurt by the shutdown."
The CNN poll results are similar to those from a new Pew Research Center poll also released Monday and surveys from Gallup and CBS News/New York Times surveys conducted last week, which indicate slightly more people blaming - or angry at - Republicans than Democrats or the president for the shutdown.
Not surprisingly, huge majorities of Democrats are angry at the Republicans, and huge majorities of Republicans are angry at Obama and Democrats. Independents are equally angry at all sides, with 59% of Independents very or somewhat angry at the Democrats, six in 10 angry at the GOP, and 58% angry at Obama.
The poll indicates that 18% of the public says the shutdown is a crisis and an additional 49% say the shutdown has caused major problems.
"That's a higher level of worry than in November 1995, when the government shut down because the Democrats, led by President Bill Clinton, and the Republicans, led by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, could not agree on funding. In 1995, 12% felt the shutdown at that time was causing a crisis and 44% thought it was a major problem," adds Holland.
The two-thirds who say the shutdown is causing a crisis or major problems is similar to the seven in 10 who said the same thing in the Gallup poll.
According to the CNN survey, Democrats are most concerned about the shutdown, although a majority of Independents and Republicans also say the shutdown is causing a crisis or a major problem.
There's also a gender gap, with three-quarters of women but only 57% of men saying the shutdown has caused a crisis or major problems.
Some 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed due to the shutdown, with many government services and agencies are closed, suspended.
The CNN poll was conducted October 3-6 by ORC International, with 1,009 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
I am not sure if the comparison of percentages to the 1995 shutdown reflect accurately. In 1995, we were not subjected to blanket cable news coverage of every word spoken by every politician everywhere. Most of the coverage is biased toward one side or the other and most people have chosen sides already.
Not all sides take a hit. The Federal Reserve is still making money off the interest that the US governments owes from the money it borrowed from itself. Who here would borrow $20 from your own paycheck and then pay interest to a third party? This only happens in mob...
I strongly believe republicans are to blame. I don't usually vote on election day. However, I have already made my decision and will vote democrat this time around. Republicans don 't want to settle their internal issues about this Obamacare so they are obviously unfit to run this country. The Social Security Act was very unpopular back in those days. It passed and its helping plenty of people as today date.
Romney? Bah! Let's speak about today with President Obama and Speaker Boehner.
Just imagine what the polls would indicate if the mainstream media was doing their job instead of just looping through the Dem's talking points 24 hrs/day?
Impeach Boehner.
I dont care who is to blame its crazy and families are already doing without. Please someone FIX this!!
republicans are mean spirited people and they steal ... like the election 2000. jeb helped
It's not both sides. It's not even one side! It's just one part of one side: the Tea Party Republicans.
And when you get down to it, it's not even them. It's one man: John Boehner!! All he has to do is put the issue to a vote and the government would be up and running tomorrow. But after MR. "let's vote on something we know will fail" wasted government time on putting ACA repeal to a vote 42 TIMES he can't bring himself to let democracy work and have a vote to get the government going now.
This isn't both sides. This isn't one side. This is one, gutless, politically-entranced, bitter old man!!!
The way we show our displeasure is when it comes time to re-elect. I for one will not be casting my vote for anyone who holds office right now. Democrat/Republican... they all work for US and they should be unemployeed for all this mess. Not that it matters, they will continue to draw that big pay even when they are voted out.
To these people saying "It's solely the (fill in the blank)'s fault!" Do you know how legislation gets passed? Compromise. When legislation doesn't get passed it is everyone's fault, including the Presidents. Our leaders are FAILING to do what's best for the people because are too engrossed in power and consumed with reelection. Maybe it takes a grassroots effort by a group like the Tea Party to overhaul the status-quo politicians who we can't get rid of. We did it with King George III.
We blame these politicians but who's the nuts that voted these simple, single issue "statesmen" into office. I live in Jersey, most of our people (R&D) are normal!
This is the teapublicans fault and they will pay in the next election
@Peg
Most have probably read it. The fact is, GOPers can't accept the truth as truth. They've been lied to for so many years that when truth comes out they either file it under "I don't care" or "they all do it". CNN feeds into this narrative time and again. Reading CNN one would think the TeaParty is well respected. We all know this is quite the opposite.
The blame for this mess is squarely on the Democrats and Obama! The Democrats in the Senate are full of lies and have been for years now. Hopefully they will be voted out just like the Dems in the House were voted out.
"This shutdown was the GOP's plan all year
The republican's have been planning this shutdown since February."
Bingo!
Unfortunately this is our new future, if the Republicans ever take the White House, the Democrats will do the same thing to that President. Nothing will ever get done and the people of this country will get screwed every day by these idiots.
Term limits for congress, 2 terms, 4 years each. please.
Seems there is not much confidence in the political leadership of either party or the President, or the Senate, or the house. Is there any doubt that politics has taken over the function of government? Fire them all, a mass recall would be faster!
Remember when the democrats shut the government down when they kept getting vetoed by Bush from 2006-2009? Yeah neither do I because they are not that irresponsible.
Only ones who think it is both sides fault are republicans ashamed at what they have done and those who do not have enough time/interest to follow the issue.
Michelle Bachman is "giddy" about the Shutdown.
Well, aside from opinions on the issue this article is heavily waited and, CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser, needs to stick to a consistent form: " 59% of Independents very or somewhat angry at the Democrats, """""six in 10 angry at the GOP""""", and 58% angry at Obama.
The article should have easily stated "60% angry at the Republicans (GOP), and moreover, the democrat and Obama statistics should have been connected to each other as they had been in the rest of the article.
What makes me the angriest is not finding an Editing job in this economy and then reading poorly put together swill.
Plenty of Fox "spews" sheep to go around is the only reason there is plenty of blame to go around.
Always get a laugh when someone quotes the NYT stating this is the fault of the GOP. They are just slightly less biased than MSNBC. There is NO party with clean hands in this situation.
Next time I'll vote for any other party than the two main ones! I think it would be refreshing to have more parties and more options to have your voice heard.
who wants to bet that for better or for worse we would not be having this particular problem with a president Romney
^ I bet you'd be at war with Iran and Syria.