Trump Takes the Blame in the Latest Shutdown Survey
Last week’s polling data shows that folks are pointing a lot of finger at President Trump instead of the Democratic caucus in Congress for the government shutdown that’s already been raging for over a week.
Poll Snapshot
- 47% of Americans think Trump is to blame.
- 33% hold the congressional Democrats responsible.
- 7% blame Republican lawmakers in the House.
The count is based on a December 21‑25 survey that, for most part, ran after the shutdown had kicked off.
The Wall In Crisis
At the heart of the dispute is a wall—Trump has demanded a $5 billion payment from taxpayers to build a fencing structure along the U.S.–Mexico border. The entire project could cost as much as $23 billion.
Only about a third of respondents are in favor of tossing money for the wall into a congressional spending bill. Even fewer—just 25%—support the notion that the administration should shut down the government to get their point across.
White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders was quick to emphasize that any funding measure must spell out adequate border‑security provisions. No mention of the wall, though.
Round‑Robin Congress
Neither chamber of Congress chucked the shutdown to rest. A secretary‑level session in the Senate ran for a few minutes on Thursday, while the House met for a touchless, strike‑filled hour before moving on to next week. This lack of urgency suggests the closure will keep marching well into January.
Senate Prez Chuck Schumer’s spokesperson Justin Goodman noted the rift remains huge, while Rep. Jim McGovern tried to cut in with a “road‑map” to keep government departments open until Feb. 8. The micro‑fever was promptly cut off, leaving McGovern pretty bemused.
In the Mid‑Weekend, Impact Begins to Resurface
- Federal agencies began notifying the public about impending service hiccups.
- FEMA can’t process new flood‑insurance policies, risking the sale of homes.
- Office of Personnel Management advised employees on how to dodge creditor calls if their paychecks gotta wait.
About 80% of the government’s funding is fully on track, but the other 20% is ticking time‑bomb, now that Biden‑style Democrats see a chance to flip the House after they gain the majority on Jan. 3.
When the House Reigns
With the House handing over control, Democrats plan to toss a concise spending bill along with, possibly, a disaster relief boost. Enough to stymie Trump’s wall mania, perhaps.
Trump’s Guilty Plea
The President has shrug‑handled the whole thing. He’s proud to shut down the government if that’s what it takes for the wall. Turns out his Twitter feed has been a one‑jammed counter‑argument against the Democrats since the shutdown began.
In a nutshell, a majority of Americans see the President as the core culprit, while supporters of the forward‑leaning Democrats are reeling from the inconvenience, with Republicans taking the second‑smallest share of blame. The block may just stretch further unless both sides put up some serious elbow grease.
