Plurality of Americans Favors Govt Shutdown

As Republicans and Democrats work feverishly to avoid a government shutdown over budget issues, the assumption is that voters strongly oppose the idea of a shutdown. But a new Quinnipiac University poll shows that’s not the case.

In the survey, 46 percent of registered voters said a shutdown would be a good thing for the country because it would put a halt to the explosion of government debt.

A slightly smaller number of voters — 44 percent — think a shutdown would be a bad thing.

To be sure, that doesn’t mean a shutdown would benefit Republicans.

If a shutdown indeed occurs, 47 percent of voters said they would blame Republicans in Congress, while only 38 percent said they would blame President Barack Obama.