If the federal government shuts down at the weekend because Congress fails to pass a spending bill, Americans are unlikely to place all the blame on one person or political party. According to a new Monmouth University poll, 43% would blame congressional Republicans, while 27% would blame President Joe Biden and 21% would blame congressional Democrats.

Conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives have refused to vote for any spending bill that does not address security at the Mexican border.

New Jersey Democrats have called on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to ignore some of his colleagues and pass a spending bill.

“They’ve already announced that they want to throw him out of his job,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th), referring to McCarthy. “So he might as well side with reason and keep the country functioning.”

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12th), said, “There are some people that you’re never going to be able to satisfy, and all they want is a shutdown.”

If a deal isn’t reached by midnight Saturday, hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed and members of the military risk not being paid.