More Voters Blame GOP Lawmakers Than Dems for Lengthy Shutdown, Polling Shows

"As the current government shutdown enters its fourth week with no end in sight - making it the second-longest U.S. shutdown in history - two new polls suggest that most Americans are faulting Republicans for the standoff, with a plurality saying they support Democrats in Congress demanding negotiations on health care. President Donald Trump has thus far refused to discuss a possible solution to the crisis."

"Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has also dug his heels in, claiming at times that he has nothing to negotiate at all, and stating this week that his conference of GOP lawmakers is "probably 99.8 percent" united on his strategy to refuse negotiations. Democrats, meanwhile, are also holding out, hopeful they can force Republicans to restore funding that the party recently slashed from a number of health care and social safety net programs that millions of working class Americans rely on."

"According to an Economist/YouGov poll published on Tuesday, more Americans than not support that goal. Forty-five percent of voters said Democrats should continue holding out for the restoration of health care funding, including the extension of tax credits for individuals and families on the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) health exchange. Only 32 percent said they should not, while around 1 in 5 voters (22 percent) were undecided."

The government shutdown has entered its fourth week, making it the second-longest in U.S. history. Two new polls indicate that most Americans fault Republicans for the standoff and that many support Democrats pressing for negotiations on health care. President Donald Trump has refused to discuss solutions, and Speaker Mike Johnson says his GOP conference is nearly united in refusing negotiations. Democrats are holding out to force restoration of cuts to health care and social safety net programs. An Economist/YouGov poll found 45 percent of voters want Democrats to continue pressing for restoration of health-care funding, while 32 percent oppose and 22 percent are undecided.

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