That was simple

It seems that the Republicans in Congress, at least the leadership, realizes that government shutdowns get blamed on Republicans.  I think that's an admirable view to take, because it is usually Republicans that are a) threatening to shut down the government, and b) not voting on spending bills that would fund the government and prevent a shutdown.  You see, the majority in the House (and now sadly the Senate, in January), actually has to pass the bill that provides the funding.

Now we find out that the public understands this dynamic, because a new CNN poll asked who should be blamed when the government gets shut down.   Here is the question and the result.

If the federal government shuts down, do you think that Barack Obama or the Republicans in Congress would be more to blame for that?
 
Obama: 33
Republicans: 50
Both: 13

I will note that "Both" shouldn't be offered as an option as an answer for this particular question, as it is phrased, because if you answer "Both", you are basically saying that President Obama and Republicans in Congress are both "more to blame".  That does not make any sense, because it's not possible for both sides to be more to blame.  Either one side or the either is more to blame than the other.  But obviously and correctly in the poll results, the Republicans are at fault and blamed when the government shuts down.  Wish the public would remember that when voting time comes around.  

Well, you can't say we liberal Democrats didn't sound a warning about this.