How Long Will It Take Before GOP Realizes It's Hurting Itself With Shutdown ?

The chart above is from the latest NBC News / Wall Street Journal Poll (done between October 7th and 9th of 800 nationwide adults, with a 3.46 point margin of error). The results clearly show the disgust the general public currently has for Congress. About 60% of the population would happily replace every single member of Congress if they could, including their own representative.

This should make every congressperson realize that the American people are tired of the political games being played in Washington. With millions of Americans out of work, the median wage dropping, poverty and food insecurity rising, the middle class disappearing, and the economy just limping along, the Washington politicians seem far more interested in fighting over ideologies instead of negotiating and compromising to solve those problems.

But make no mistake -- while the public is angry with everyone in Washington, they are not angry with everyone equally. They know who has been obstructing and refusing to compromise. And they know who caused the government shutdown. And poll after poll, including this one, shows that the public is turning against those responsible -- the Republicans in Congress.

The Republicans have to know this by now. They badly miscalculated just how far they could push the Democrats in the shutdown -- and they have also badly miscalculated just how tired the American people are of the political games they are playing. They are now in a no-win situation, and every day this shutdown goes on their party brand is further damaged. How long is it going to take before they realize they only have one option -- to cry "uncle" and try to mitigate the damage done before the next election?

And if there was still any doubt that the GOP is hurting themselves with their recent actions, here are the results from yet another survey -- the Democracy Corps Poll, taken of 801 registered voters between October 7th and 10th.