Poll: Americans Blame Govt. Shutdown on GOP’s ‘Spoiled Children’

*Before the clock struck midnight Monday on a government shutdown, a poll showed that more Americans would blame congressional Republicans than President Barack Obama, and many Americans view the GOP as acting like "spoiled children."

According to a CNN/ORC International poll released Monday, 46 percent of respondents would blame congressional Republicans, 36 percent would blame Obama and 13 percent would blame both. Sixty-nine percent said that the GOP is acting like "spoiled children" in the budget fight, while 58 percent think that of congressional Democrats and 49 percent think that of President Barack Obama. Six in 10 respondents reject the GOP's approach and think it is more important to avoid a shutdown than to make major changes to the Affordable Care Act.

The poll is an indication that the Republicans' hard-line approach does not resonate with many Americans, and could have consequences in future elections. Nevertheless, the GOP has touted the tactic of using the continuing resolution to fund the government to demand changes to Obamacare, crafting the populist slogan "Make DC Listen."

In the hours leading up to the shutdown, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow aired a segment laying out how the GOP has been plotting with glee a government shutdown since President Obama’s 2008 election.

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