Majority disapprove of shutdown over health law
A wide majority of Americans disapprove of shutting down the federal government over differences about the 2010 health care law, including a majority of those who oppose the law, according to the latest CBS News poll.
Americans are also overwhelmingly dissatisfied, and increasingly angry, with the way things are going in Washington. More than 4 in 10 now say they are angry, up 13 percentage points since March.
The poll, which was conducted Tuesday and Wednesday, found that 72 percent disapprove of partially shutting down the government because of differences over the Affordable Care Act, including 59 percent of respondents who do not approve of the health care law. Large majorities of independents and Democrats disapprove; nearly half of Republicans and most supporters of the Tea Party movement approve.
More than 7 in 10 say Congress should place a higher priority on passing a resolution to get the government running again, rather than stopping some provisions of the health care law from taking effect. And two-thirds say any budget agreement should be kept separate from discussions about funding the health care law; just a quarter, including a slight majority of Republicans, say a budget agreement should also cut off funding for the law.
Congressional Republicans are taking more of the blame for the shutdown, as several polls leading up to it predicted. The CBS News poll found 44 percent blaming Republicans in Congress, while 35 percent place more blame with President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats.
While both sides are rated negatively in their handling of budget negotiations, Republicans are even more so: 72 percent disapprove of the way they are handling the debate, compared with 61 percent disapproval for Obama and congressional Democrats. And Americans are more apt to say Obama and congressional Democrats have greater concern for doing what is best for their families.