Poll: Americans want Democrats and Republicans to compromise, not stick to dogma

Ho hum, another threat of a government shutdown — but ignore this one at your own peril if you can believe the resolve of U.S. House Republicans targeting the takedown of the Affordable Care Act. We gauge public reaction with Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll.

Other poll topics:

• The Washington Navy Yard mass shooting on Monday, including brand-new data on attitudes toward gun control: We saw a big spike in favorability toward gun control after the Newtown shootings last December. We will see where it stands now. Also, we’ll get an update on a series of questions about what people think it the cause of mass gun violence, to compare with answers given after the shooting in Tucson, Ariz., in January 2011. It looks like most Americans do not tnhink guns are the top cause, but rather poor screening of mentally ill people.

• Compromise in government: The big issue in Washington in coming days is the need for Democrats and republicans to compromise or cope with a government shutdown. New data suggests Americans want their elected representatives to compromise as opposed to sticking to principle.

• The Tea Party: What is its current level of support in the U.S.?

• News media: Every September, Gallup asks Americans if the mainstream media are too liberal, too conservative or about right. A plurality of Americans think the media are too liberal — and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Republicans drive the numbers of that assessment, while Democrats tend to think the media are just fine. But how has this changed over time?

• Americans’ views of 25 business and industry sectors.