Here is what I replied:
The polling source () has a title "Poll: Democrats, Trump to blame for government shutdown” saying quit accurately that Democrats
and Trump are mostly to blame. Similarly the about the poll is entitled "Americans blame Democrats
and Trump for the government shutdown, poll says”. They are responsible journalists who recognize that the difference between 39% (Democrats in Congress) and 38% (Trump) is within the ±2.2% margin of error.
(I wish I could easily resize these plots - I struggle though Photobucket every time I try, but the numbers are in my text above 38%/18%/39% in order of the bars above).
I’ll add this plot below to show that this assignment of blame is largely along party lines.
Jon’s take on who is to blame: Schumer at first, shifting to “Democrats in Congress” the “outcome" of the NBC poll.
My take on who/what is to blame is more nuanced: (1) polarization in congress/country, (2) the congressional process (effectively demanding 60 votes), (3) Trump’s lack of consistent leadership.
BTW, I can say a few good things about Trump’s reign:
- some of his deregulation has been good (especially streamlining construction red tape, though not the EPA's green lighting pollution or relaxation of OSHA rules),
- his call to repatriate taxes on profits stored offshore (of course it has not happened yet),
- his strong threat of retaliation to North Korea if they launch any ICBM towards us (though not his name calling "Rocket Man”),
- ISIS has been thwarted in and around Iraq/Syria (though his words may have embolden ISIS elsewhere),
- he dropped the TPP (but for the wrong reasons, nonetheless it has been dropped),
- he has enlivened the political discussion across the country (invigorating more candidates to run).
Not much (and qualified), but I try to find good things. You are wrong to say otherwise. I even bought/read the Jan 18 NYT which expressly gave voices to Trump supporters on its opinion page. And initially I had great hope for a $1T (over 10 years) Infrastructure Program; still do (paid for largely by a financial transaction tax).
Informed by Data.
Driven by the SPIRIT and JESUS’s Example.
Promoting the Kingdom of GOD on Earth.