The government shutdown is affecting people in every state and region. From workers answering questions over the phone about Social Security benefits to air traffic control workers approving flights at airports, federal employees are working without pay as a result of the impasse. If the shutdown lingers, many workers may miss their next paycheck and have trouble paying their bills.
Thousands of local businesses are also affected by the stalemate, including restaurants, retail stores and small business owners who hire federal contractors. State governments are also impacted by the shutdown because they receive a significant share of their revenue from the federal government. A lengthy shutdown could stifle the economies of every state by cutting jobs and consumer spending.
A shutdown has a variety of other impacts, from halting or delaying projects to shutting down services and programs. It can cause disruptions in a range of services, from FEMA disaster relief efforts to closing national parks. It can also limit research and scientific discoveries by putting scientists on temporary leave or slowing or stopping projects. The last shutdown, which lasted for five weeks during President Trump’s first term, delayed billions in spending and reduced gross domestic product by $11 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The last shutdown largely affected the states, which depend on federal money for things like home- and community-based health-care services for the disabled and elderly, employment support programs, and food assistance. The current one is largely being driven by Republican leaders, who are refusing to compromise on their demand that Democrats preserve Obamacare subsidies for their constituents and cancel large portions of the tax cut bill passed earlier this year in return for funding the government.
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