How US Government Shutdowns Became Routine: QuickTake

Government shutdowns have become a recurring feature of US politics, the product of partisan standoffs over spending that force federal agencies to halt a wide range of services. The latest shutdown — the third under President Donald Trump across his two terms — began at midnight on Oct. 1, when Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding measure, triggering the nation’s first government closure in almost seven years. On Oct. 22, it entered its 22nd day, making it the second longest shutdown in history.

Democrats are demanding that a stopgap bill include an extension of Affordable Care Act premium subsidies ...