Notes on the US Shutdown

As of this writing, the Government Shutdown has officially ended after a 35-day stalemate. Multiple agencies were impacted by the shutdown and had to furlough or ask individuals to coming in without pay. It is interesting that the top official running the Government can essentially hold federal employee hostage if they are not getting what they want in a certain bill, legislation, or in this a “wall”. Affected agencies include but are not limited to FAA, FBI, and the NSA putting all areas of the United States national security at risk. The long-term consequences of the shutdown are immeasurable and the byproduct of the shutdown will most likely reverberation for years on end. To zoom out, with all that’s going on, United States Government shutdown for longer than a month, China slowing growth, Brexit, and the ongoing China-US Trade War the stock market, housing market, and jobless claims seem to be humming along. All we are missing in this chaos and turmoil is an all-out war, but miraculously everything is coming up roses and Unicorn farts. Are we currently in the calm before the storm? Or are there far bigger things at play keeping this global economic wheel turning?