Who's To Blame If Washington Shuts Down—Republicans, Democrats Or Biden?

A deadline to avoid a government shutdown over funding bills in Congress is nearing, and many portions of the U.S. economy could be impacted.

Here’s a look at who Americans are ready to place the blame on if a government shutdown occurs.

What Happens: A Sept. 30 deadline for government funding bills to pass through Congress is looming, without reaching an agreement, a government shutdown would occur on Oct. 1. The government has had multiple shutdowns over the years, with many lasting one day or a short period of time.

A poll from Morning Consult says that the majority of voters would blame congressional Republicans with the party having majority control in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Here’s a look at which entity—Republicans in Congress, Democrats in Congress, or President Joe Biden—would bear the most blame according to the voters of each party.

• All Voters: 34% Republicans in Congress, 21% Democrats in Congress, 23% Joe Biden
• Democrat Voters: 51% Republicans, 18% Democrats, 16% Joe Biden
• Republican Voters: 15% Republicans, 31% Democrats, 31% Joe Biden
• Independent Voters: 32% Republicans, 12% Democrats, 22% Joe Biden

Related Link: Biden Sounds Alarm Amid Looming Government Shutdown

Why It’s Important: The poll finds that most voters will blame the Republicans in Congress if a government shutdown occurs. Biden gets the second most blame among all voters. Republican voters put the blame equally on Biden and Democrats in Congress.

When asked about the cause for the funding bill stand-off, 46% of voters pointed to the fighting between Democrats and Republicans.

Only 23% of those polled said they had heard “a lot” about the potential government shutdown. The question was posed to voters between Sept. 21 and Sept. 24.

Survey results follow another Morning Consult poll that asked who was most to blame for the UAW strike. While voters polled primarily attributed blame to the UAW and auto companies, Biden was also identified by some as bearing responsibility.

The president got the highest percentage of “lot to blame” votes at 28%, but one of the lowest votes for “some to blame” at 23%. Overall, 49% of voters said he should receive not much or no blame in the case of the strike.

While Biden may not be directly responsible for the UAW strike or the government shutdown, some voters attribute blame to him, as these events occurred during his tenure in office.

The events could become key talking points for the 2024 presidential election and be used against Biden by his competitors.

Read Next: Is Joe Biden To Blame?: Voters Are Less Confident In The Democratic Party, Survey Shows

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