More blame Trump for govt shutdown

WASHINGTON: More Americans blame President Donald Trump for the partial US government shutdown than blame congressional Democrats, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday, as the closure stretched into its sixth day with no end in sight.

Fortyseven percent of adults hold Trump responsible, 33% blame Democrats in Congress and 7% blame congressional Republicans, according to the poll, which was conducted mostly after the shutdown began.

The shutdown was triggered by Trump’s demand, largely opposed by Democrats and some representatives from his own Republican Party, that taxpayers provide him with $US5 billion ($NZ7.45 billion) to help pay for a wall he wants to build along the USMexico border. Its total estimated cost is $US23 billion.

Just 35% of those surveyed said they backed including money for the wall in a congressional spending Bill. Only 25% said they supported Trump shutting down the Government over the matter.

Showing little sense of urgency, both chambers of Congress convened for mere minutes yesterday, taking no action to end the shutdown before adjourning until next week.

Democrats and Republicans were still very far apart on resolving the impasse, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer’s spokesman said.

Democrat Representative Jim McGovern tried to interrupt the brief Republicanrun session in the House of Representatives by offering a measure to reopen government agencies and keep them running until February 8, but he was ignored and his microphone cut off. — Reuters