{"id":51091,"date":"2011-04-11T22:00:53","date_gmt":"2011-04-12T03:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2011\/04\/11\/budget-negotiations-in-a-word-ridiculous\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T09:01:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T13:01:03","slug":"budget-negotiations-in-a-word-ridiculous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2011\/04\/11\/budget-negotiations-in-a-word-ridiculous\/","title":{"rendered":"Budget Negotiations in a Word \u2013 \u201cRidiculous\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The public has an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the budget negotiations that narrowly avoided a government shutdown. A weekend survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Washington Post finds that \u201cridiculous\u201d is the word used most frequently to describe the budget negotiations, followed by \u201cdisgusting,\u201d \u201cfrustrating,\u201d \u201cmessy,\u201d \u201cdisappointing\u201d and \u201cstupid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, 69% of respondents use negative terms to describe the budget talks, while just 3% use positive words; 16% use neutral words to characterize their impressions of the negotiations. Large majorities of independents (74%), Democrats (69%) and Republicans (65%) offer negative terms to describe the negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The full survey was conducted April 7-10 among 1,004 adults; people were asked their impressions of the budget talks in interviews conducted April 9-10, following the April 8 agreement that averted a government shutdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the principals in the budget showdown are blamed to some extent for the dispute that nearly resulted in the shutdown. Nearly four-in-ten (37%) say they blame Republican congressional leaders \u201ca lot\u201d for the dispute, while 33% say Democratic congressional leaders deserve a lot of blame and 32% say the same about President Obama. About a quarter (27%) say that representatives affiliated with the Tea Party movement deserve a lot of blame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solid majorities say all four principal players \u2013 GOP leaders, Democratic leaders, Obama and Tea Party-affiliated representatives \u2013 deserve at least some blame for the budget dispute. Much smaller percentages say each deserves no blame: 23% Tea Party representatives; 22% Obama; 12% GOP leaders; and 11% Democratic leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Opinions about how much blame the participants deserve changed after the agreement was concluded. In interviewing conducted prior to the deal (April 7-8), 58% said that Tea Party representatives would deserve either a lot or some blame if the government shut down. In polling conducted April 9-10, the number saying Tea Party representatives deserve a least some blame for the dispute jumped to 72%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More also blamed Obama and Democratic leaders after the agreement than before it. In early interviewing, 66% said that Obama would deserve at least some blame for a possible government shutdown; after the agreement 79% expressed that view. Blame for Democratic leaders rose 10 points (from 77% to 87%) after the budget deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criticism for Tea Party representatives increased among the GOP base after the budget agreement. In polling before the agreement, 40% of Republicans and GOP leaners said Tea Party representatives would deserve some blame if the government shut down. After the agreement, however, 61% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said that Tea Party representatives in Congress deserved at least some blame for the dispute that nearly led to the shutdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Democrats grew more critical of Obama after the budget deal was concluded. Prior to the agreement, 51% of Democrats and Democratic leaners said Obama would deserve a lot or some blame if the government shut down. Following the agreement, 69% of Democrats and Democratic leaners said Obama deserved at least some blame for the budget dispute.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The public has an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the budget negotiations that narrowly avoided a government shutdown. A weekend survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Washington Post finds that \u201cridiculous\u201d is the word used most frequently to describe the budget negotiations, followed by \u201cdisgusting,\u201d \u201cfrustrating,\u201d \u201cmessy,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sub_headline":"All Sides Blamed After Close Call on Government Shutdown","sub_title":"All Sides Blamed After Close Call on Government 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