Poll: Voters oppose shutdown, favor raising debt limit

HAMDEN, Conn., Oct. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. voters oppose shutting down the government to block implementation of healthcare reform and favor raising the debt limit, a poll released Tuesday found.

The Quinnipiac University Poll found voters, by 72 percent to 22 percent, oppose shutting down the government as a means of blocking implementation of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare -- with Democrats opposing the shutdown 90-6, independents against it 74-19 and Republicans favoring it 49-44.

The poll found 45 percent of those surveyed support Obamcare and 49 percent oppose it, but only 34 percent favor cutting funding for the healthcare law to prevent its implementation, Quinnipiac University Poll said in a news release.

The poll found 64 percent of voters oppose blocking an increase in the federal debt ceiling to stop Obamacare, while 27 percent favor that.

President Barack Obama's job approval in the poll is 45 percent favorable and 49 percent unfavorable, down from 46-48 Aug. 2.

Congressional Republicans have a 74 percent disapproval rating and a 17 percent positive raring -- their lowest score ever in the Quinnipiac poll -- while congressional Democrats have a 60 percent disapproval rating and 32 percent positive rating.

Asked whether they would vote for a Democrat or a Republican in the 2014 election, 43 percent said they preferred a Democrat while 34 percent said they would vote Republican.

The poll surveyed 1.497 registered voters Sept. 23-29, using a combination of land lines and cellphones. The margin of error was 2.5 percentage points.