Washington reopens, but Americans still feel shut out

On Wednesday, the House voted on a deal to reopen the federal government. Now, by Thursday, the lights have flickered back on in Washington. But let’s be honest: although the government has reopened, a lot of Americans have already shut right down.

The Real Crisis Isn’t the Shutdown. It’s the Shrug.
When the government shuts down, paychecks stop, services pause, and families feel the pinch. In fact, before the Senate moved to end the shutdown, 39% of Americans told Economist/YouGov they were personally affected a great deal or somewhat — the highest level since the start of this shutdown. But what’s worse is what happens inside people’s minds. They stop believing the system works. They stop believing anyone in power is capable of acting like an adult. And eventually, they stop caring.