When it comes to shutdowns, the U.S. is very much an exception rather than the rule.
Save for a last-minute spending deal in Congress on Oct. 1, 2023, hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be furloughed and the business of government will grind to a halt. By some accounts, it would be the 22nd time since 1976 that the U.S. has had to deal with this political paralysis.
