Poll: Public Doesn’t Want to Shut Down Government Over Obamacare

In the first nationwide poll released since Friday’s House vote for a stopgap spending measure that defunds Obamacare, 59 percent of respondents said they oppose the Republican plan to defund the Affordable Car Act if it requires a shutdown of the government.

A CNBC All-America Economic survey of 800 from last Monday through Thursday found that a plurality of Americans -- 44 percent -- oppose the general concept of defunding the president’s landmark health care law, versus 38 percent who would approve.

The House on Friday voted along party lines for a continuing resolution that would fund the government through Dec. 15 at current spending levels, but which would also remove all funds for the health care law whose implementation is set to take effect Oct. 1. The fiscal year ends at midnight on Monday, Sept. 30.

The poll also showed more women than men oppose the defunding plan, with men roughly split. Support for attaching the defunding provision is widest among respondents who identify with the tea party movement, the poll found.

Only 19 percent of respondents said they would back a shutdown if it means defunding Obamacare, while 18 percent said they are unsure. “A 51 percent majority of Republicans generally support defunding with 36 percent opposed and 13 percent unsure,” CNBC wrote. “However, when including the issue of a government shutdown and default, the picture changes: 48 percent of Republicans oppose defunding Obamacare, while 36 percent support it. “

Independents oppose defunding by a slight plurality of 44 percent to 40 percent, the analysts noted. But when the prospect of a shutdown is included, opposition to the measure “swells to 65 percent, while support drops to just 14 percent.”

(Image via Christian Delbert/Shutterstock.com)