Voters do not want the president to force a government shutdown until legislators agree to pay for his border wall.
Nearly two-thirds told pollsters they’d oppose the move in a new Morning Consult poll.
A mere 28 percent of voters said they’d support a shutdown over funding for Trump’s proposed wall along the territorial boundary the United States shares with Mexico. A majority, 61 percent, said they’d be opposed.
Voters do not want the president to force a government shutdown until legislators agree to pay for his border wall
Nearly two-thirds told pollsters they’d oppose the move in a new Morning Consult poll
A mere 28 percent of voters said they’d support a shutdown over funding for Trump’s proposed wall along the territorial boundary the United States shares with Mexico. A majority, 61 percent, said they’d be opposed
Trump floated the idea of a government shutdown last week at an Arizona rally,
‘We are building a wall on the southern border, which is absolutely necessary,’ he told a crowd of cheering supporters. ‘Build that wall,’ Trump said, repeating their chants.
The president told them that ‘obstructionist Democrats’ are trying to keep him from moving ahead with his plans.
‘But believe me, if we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall,’ he proclaimed.
House Speaker Paul Ryan immediately dispensed with the notion that a shutdown was on the horizon.
‘I don’t think a government shutdown is necessary and I don’t think most people want to see a government shutdown, ourselves included,’ he said the next day during a news conference in Oregon.
Morning Consult’s pollsters determined that Ryan was correct.
Not only were 61 percent of voters the firm spoke to against a shutdown, nearly half, 48 percent, said they were strongly opposed to one.
Congress has to pass a spending bill by Sept. 30 to prevent a government-wide shutdown of everything but essential services. They must also address the debt ceiling so that the United States does not default on its loans.
The House appropriated $1.6 billion to Trump’s border wall in its appropriations package. Trump’s project could run into trouble in the Senate, though, where Republicans do not hold a super-majority.
Majorities of voters told Morning Consult that they were concerned that lawmakers would shutdown the government and default on the nation’s debt.
Of a shutdown, 76 percent said they were either very or somewhat concerned. A similar amount, 78 percent said they were worried about the debt ceiling.