The partial government shutdown, which began Dec. 22, 2018, has stretched well into 2019 and may continue for weeks or months given the two parties inability to negotiate and behave like middle grade children. About 420,000 "essential" employees are working without pay, while another 380,000 have been ordered to stay home. In some cases, the furloughs have forced government employees to tap into their savings, apply for unemployment, add to their ...