56 percent disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of the Democrats’ government shutdown to extend expanded Obamacare tax credits they sunset and lifting prohibition on illegal aliens accessing public health care.
53 percent disapprove of Democrats’ handling of the shutdown.
54 percent disapprove of Republicans’ handling of the shutdown.
That according to the latest polling from Economist-YouGov, showing the public pretty much against everybody when it comes to the government shutdown. They’re not happy about it.
It more or less breaks down on partisan lines: 93 percent of Democrats disapprove of Republicans’ handling of the shutdown and 85 percent of Republicans disapprove of Democrats. In the meantime, 52 percent of independents disapprove of Democrats’ handling of the shutdown, and 60 percent of independents disapprove of Republicans, saying a pox on both your houses.
As for blame, there is no real consensus: 39 percent blame Republicans in Congress, 31 percent blame Democrats and 24 percent blame both equally. The biggest difference in the poll comes from 40 percent of independents blaming Republicans versus 21 percent blaming Democrats and 28 percent blaming both equally when forced to choose.
That’s about where it was at the beginning of October, when 41 percent blamed Republicans, 30 percent blamed Democrats and 23 percent blamed both equally. Nothing’s really changed.
And they might not even be aware of what the shutdown is even about, looking at what everyone says are the top issues facing the country. Only 10 percent say health care is the top issue, despite Democrats going wall to wall with their health care message in the shutdown. That’s actually down from 11 percent at the beginning of the month. It’s a niche audience at best.
The public is far more concerned about inflation at 25 percent, and the economy and jobs at 15 percent.
In other words, Democrats’ health care shutdown message is not really getting through, and there is no public mandate for the shutdown, since, by and large, the American people just want it to end.
Really, the only reason to do it if you’re the Democrats — they don’t have the votes to overcome a presidential veto by President Trump of extending health benefits to illegal aliens, so even if they could pass it, it would never become law — is to deliver their 2026 Congressional midterm election message to their base. So, maybe this somehow helps them win.
But does it? On Oct. 2, Democrats were leading the national average of Congressional generic ballot polls compiled by RealClearPolling.com 45.9 percent to 43.1 percent, a 2.8 percentage point lead. And as of Oct. 27, it’s 45.9 percent to 43.3 percent, a 2.6 percentage point lead. It hasn’t changed at all. It’s the same race.
In other words, nothing’s changed. Democrats are no closer to passing their bill, no more popular and the public is no more interested in health care as an issue than they were a month ago.
And that might be enough to the shutdown going and going indefinitely. Sure, it’s not helping Democrats, but it’s not hurting them either, right? Same with the President and Republicans. If nobody feels any pain politically, why would it ever end? Stay tuned.
Robert Romano is the Executive Director at Americans for Limited Government.
