Fox News Lies About Support For Shut-Down

As if there wasn't enough proof already, now we have more evidence that Fox News will be quick to lie to their viewers when that lie will support their position on an issue (and they do take positions on issues). Yesterday morning Fox News was trying to push the idea that a government shut-down would be a good thing. To support their position they claimed that a new NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll said that 56% of all Americans supported the Republicans sticking to their position instead of compromising with the Democrats.

That was a bald-faced lie. The statistic they quoted was only the view the poll reported about Republicans -- not all Americans. This is not a difficult poll to read and they had to know they were not telling the truth. Here is what the poll actually showed:

SHOULD REPUBLICANS COMPROMISE ON BUDGET?

REPUBLICANS
Yes...............38%
No...............56%

INDEPENDENTS
Yes...............66%
No...............30%

SHOULD DEMOCRATS COMPROMISE ON BUDGET?

DEMOCRATS
Yes...............68%
No...............26%

INDEPENDENTS
Yes...............76%
No...............18%

That couldn't be any clearer. Both Democrats and Independents want to see a budget compromise. It is only a slim majority of Republicans willing to force a government shut-down (and these Republicans do not make up a majority of the United States population).

And it is not just one poll that shows this. The most recent Gallup Poll verifies that most Americans would like to see the parties compromise to keep the government operating, rather than cling to ideological views and shut-down the government. Here is what that poll showed:

SHOULD CONGRESS COMPROMISE OR SHUT-DOWN GOVERNMENT?

NATIONAL ADULTS
Compromise...............58%
Shut-down...............33%
No opinion...............9%

INDEPENDENTS
Compromise...............60%
Shut-down...............29%
No opinion...............11%

DEMOCRATS
Compromise...............68%
Shut-down...............27%
No opinion...............5%

REPUBLICANS
Compromise...............44%
Shut-down...............51%
No opinion...............5%

It is very clear who is pushing for a government shut-down -- Republicans. The Republican politicians (and their right-wing base) thinks they can strong-arm the Democrats into giving up on issues they have long championed (like choice, the environment, medical care, Social Security, etc.), and they are willing to hold the entire federal government hostage until they get what they want.

I think they are making a serious mistake. If they think they can blame Democrats for the government shut-down (and they do), then they are sadly mistaken -- in spite of any lies told by Fox News. That silly argument will only fly with their teabagger base (who hate Democrats enough to believe the lie). A substantial majority of the public knows the Democrats have tried to compromise, and that the Republicans have rebuffed all attempts at compromise. If the shut-down lasts very long, this could really hurt Republicans in the 2012 elections.