31 days and counting: Over $7 billion wiped out; how US govt shutdown is hitting the American economy

The United States is nearing the longest federal government shutdown in history, having remained closed for the entire month with no resolution in sight. Economists have warned that the longer the impasse drags on, the greater the risk that the economy, already showing signs of strain, could shift from bending to breaking. “The economy is fragile and, therefore, something like a government shutdown could become a bigger problem a lot faster than people might think,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, as quoted by CNN. Fresh estimates released this week by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) show the shutdown has already shaved off at least $7 billion in economic output permanently. Furthermore, the economic damage will rise the longer the shutdown continue