The heated political debates around key funding bills needed to prevent a government shutdown are having an unintended consequence. While Democrats, Republicans and independents tend not to agree on much these days, there is a widespread consensus that the threat of a shutdown is a negative development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recent online survey by the Partnership for Public Service shows that 68% of all respondents said the threat of a showdown was decreasing their trust in the federal government, while only 18% said it was increasing their trust and 14% said they were unsure. This level of skepticism is consistent across the political spectrum, with 71% of Democrats, 67% of Republicans and 66% of independents saying the threat lowers their trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n