Just 1 in 5 voters would blame the GOP if the government defaults, poll finds

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

published 27 September 2021

Congress' "week from hell" is well on its way, as lawmakers juggle the two-track infrastructure and $3.5 trillion spending bills with a looming government shutdown and the threat of a "catastrophic" default on the nation's national debt. Unfortunately, avoiding the latter has proved rather complicated.

Although Democrats' have consistently blamed and maligned Republicans for refusing to raise the debt ceiling on a bipartisan basis (and therefore avoid defaulting on payments), Republicans have held firm — the left must do it on its own, if only so the GOP can use it against them during midterms. Lawmakers have decried the GOP tactic as irresponsible (they fear they might not have time to cram the provision into their reconciliation bill)...but in voters' eyes, the Republican reticence might be working, according to a new poll from Morning Consult and Politico.

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Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.

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