NPR

Who Will Carry The Blame For The Shutdown? Maybe No One

If voters punished Republicans over the last shutdown, it was by giving them the Senate majority. Since then, a blinding news cycle had made each crisis only more forgettable than the last.
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference on Saturday, arguing that the shutdown is mainly President Trump's fault. Republicans say Democrats manufactured the crisis over immigration.

While a lot of furious negotiation has been going on behind the scenes on Capitol Hill to end a partial government shutdown, to voters and cable news viewers it may look like most of the work in Washington is going into pointing fingers.

As the countdown to shutdown hit zero, an official White House statement called Democrats "obstructionist losers."

Democrats pointed to President Trump's inconsistent statements on immigration to say he's an unreliable negotiating partner.

But even if voters side with one party or the other, neither side may fear any lasting political damage. Republicans' approval ratings tanked after they were blamed for engineering the last government shutdown

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
From Pandemic To Protests, The Class Of 2024 Has Been Through A Lot
Pomp and circumstance again fall victim to circumstance for some students in the graduating class of 2024, as protests over the war in Gaza threaten to disrupt commencement ceremonies.
NPR3 min read
What's Making Us Happy: A Guide To Your Weekend Viewing And Reading
Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: Vanderpump Rules recaps, the book The Worst Ronin, and a duet by Pavarotti and Celine Dion.
NPR2 min read
Brian Wilson Of The Beach Boys Is Being Placed Under A Legal Conservatorship
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved the conservatorship Thursday, noting that Brian Wilson suffers from "a major cognitive disorder." Wilson has agreed to the conservatorship.

Related Books & Audiobooks