New York (CNN) — The ongoing government shutdown isn’t just the longest in American history. It’s likely the most damaging, too.

Historically, the economic damage from shutdowns is fleeting, quickly reversing when the government reopens. However, the 36-day lapse in funding that began on October 1 is already dealing a significant – albeit temporary – blow to the world’s largest economy.

Millions of Americans are not getting food stamp benefits needed to feed their families. Roughly 1.4 million federal employees haven’t been paid – even though many are still working. And investors and policymakers are in the dark about what’s happening in the US economy because the release of government data has stalled.

“The current shutdown looks likely to have the greatest economic impact of an

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