For many Americans, across party lines, concern over the government shutdown means concern about its potential impact on the economy, among other things.
Therefore, many don’t think either party’s position is worth having a shutdown over.
Given that, no one is looking especially good politically at the moment. President Trump, congressional Democrats, and Republicans are all net negative on their handling of the shutdown thus far.
Neither party is on very solid footing. The top descriptor Americans pick for the Democratic Party overall is “weak;” the party trails the GOP on being described as “effective” and “strong,” and their favorables trail the GOP’s. The top descriptor for Republicans, though, is “extreme.”
All of it looks to the public like another distraction from larger matters of concern. A sizable majority of the country says the Trump administration isn’t focused…
