Sit back, relax, this government shutdown might take a while

Washington readies for a prolonged budget battle

Lady Liberty
(Image credit: (Spencer Platt/Getty Images))

With around 800,000 federal employees out of work, national parks closed, and the debt ceiling looming, how long can this government shutdown last?

Democrats have shown no sign that they are willing to delay or defund the president's signature piece of legislation, the Affordable Care Act, in exchange for Republicans agreeing to a federal spending bill. Meanwhile, internal divisions in the GOP have been widening since the shutdown began.

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Keith Wagstaff is a staff writer at TheWeek.com covering politics and current events. He has previously written for such publications as TIME, Details, VICE, and the Village Voice.