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.
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Jim in PA. For once, CNN has got it right: it IS fused by both sides. Neither side has a monopoly on what is good or the ountry and what is the truth, but you wouldn't know that listening to the self-appointed Oracles of Freedom who post here
Why don't just split the country into Republican and Democrat states and dissolves the federal government?
'The blame belongs squarely on the shoulders of Obama and Reid. Like all Democrats, they can't deal with opposition to their socialist agenda'
That 'opposition' had no business being part of the debate. It wasnt Obama and Reid that added that, it was purely on the repubs.
1. CNN falsely reports that the problem is caused by both sides.
2. CNN conducts public opinion poll, and finds that its viewers incorrectly believe the problem is caused by both sides.
3. CNN reports the self-fulfilling poll results as fact, and pretends it is not culpable in this misinformation.
The death of American journalism.
Quoted for Truth! Thanks JimPA
Bias – The Democrat did not say at any time that they would shut the government down. CNN get your news RIGHT and be professional.
The Republican Party could have repealed the Affordable Care Act easily if it had won the Senate and White House in 2010. It didn't. Republicans picked this fight, fueled by a Cruz missile who had no end game; just the tea party indignation. Seems like the Republicans are simply sore losers.
I do not know anyone that this is affecting. Stop whining and quit being so dependent on the government for everything.
You all are like Borgs
if people don't like obama care then work together to change it...don't shut down the government because you don't like it...I won't vote for anyone that is presently in the house or senate ..
This shut down is 100% tea party. They refuse to believe in the democratic process. This is exactly what they planned for. HOw happy they must be that some people blame Democrats too! I guess the democrats should have shut down the govt because 92% of Americans favor gun control and the Tea Party dont. HMMMM. Idiots.
quick someone play the race card we aren't getting as much mileage out of propaganda from the "free press"
So let's have a look at the poll report, then. Link?
I love it, CNN has to take an INTERNATIONAL/CNN poll to make the Republicans look better. LOL. Funny, all domestic US polling shows the Republicans taking a beating on this but CNN doesn't want to publish those numbers.
CNN is putting out the WORST journalism on this topic EVER. FALSE EQUIVALENCE here, it's a REPUBLICAN SHUTDOWN, start calling it that
Imagine a third party that pushed for term limits as thier platform. they would sweep 2014 and 2016
My guess is, this poll is really just an indication of party preference in the sample ....
As the article says ... the vast majority of the Democrats in the poll sample blame the GOP, and the vast majority of the Republicans in the poll blame the Dems ... AND the independents are basically equal.
SO, if more people in the poll sample blame the GOP, all that means is that polling sample had more democrats in it.
The independents are the only ones who have it right ... it BOTH sides fault, and until they negotiate, nothing is going to better.
Your IQ is equal to your belt size, if you don't believe the GOP mainly caused this latest government crisis.
You are so right! How dare the Republicans challange ANYTHING the great and powerful Barrak Obama wants? Think about it, with only one voice in government it will be so easy to accomplish want that party wants and to think that the Republicans so foolishly think that any citizen of the United States wants anything other than what Barrak and the boys put forth is ludicrous. Yes sir, the handful of Republicans in the government are the ONLY people that don't agree with Barrak's agenda................
CNN and polling should not be allowed together, as they are usually wrong.
CNN polls are worthless – the same polls had Romney ahead and winning the Presidential election last year
Liberal Democrats are the very last people who should be using the term lemmings. They are the definition of a suicidal herd going over the cliff. The don't trust anyone over 30 crowd has turned into their worst nightmare. The GOP isn't much better. George Bush got a free pass on his big government nonsense as well. The GOP had the chance to take point on rational health care reform and chose to kick the can to the Democrats who have a knack for turning problems into systemic disasters. What we need is a 12 year term limit on Senators and Representatives and a 16 year term limit on SCOTUS judges.
everybody knows that it's that black bean fried banana eating bloated blowhard Cruz. The FBI should arrest him and his entire family and put them on a banana boat back to Cuba. He's undermining our Nation and our way of life. He is obviously a plant for Fidel and the boys.
Interesting. Apparently, almost everyone CNN polled is angry. I'm not. My neighbors aren't. My co-workers aren't. The folks at the bar on Saturday night weren't... What gives?
I an immigrant Indian living in US, feel really saddened by the turn of events. This great country is now going in the same direction as dirty Indian politics that has killed our once rich and strong nation. Politicians fighting for votes from certain sections of society and keeping national interests secondary is what Indian politicians do. Move on guys, digging graveyards is good for no one. Don't let this country down.
I am just flabbergasted at the stupidity of the average american. Do they not know that the Republicans are willing to bring this country to its knees just to make a point on Obamacare! It is the law of the land and to hold the debt ceiling the the good fath and credit of our country hostage because these pawns to the rich are not getting there way is treason!
And what's even more absurd is they hold Obama and the democrats to blame for what is a Republican con job!
America wake the hell up! The GOP is nothing more than domestic terrorists who's agenda is to fight for the corporations and the wealthy not the middle class!!!! Hello......
Round and round we go and still most of the country can't see that both parties and everything they wreck are merely symptoms of the broken two-party system. Every nation has the government it deserves. Especially us.
I laugh when people who vote Democrat/Republican tell me my vote is wasted because I refuse to pick one side of that coin or the other.