The U.S. economy has always shrugged off government shutdowns–but that might stop being the case if they become the new normal

(Credit: Chip Somodevilla - Getty Images)

With the current vitriol in Washington, DC, the possibility of another government shutdown this fall seems high. The question then becomes, how bad will the economic damage be? The answer depends entirely on the length of the shutdowns–and their frequency.

There have only been three budget-related shutdowns of more than one week in U.S. history: one in 1995-1996 that lasted 21 days, a second one in 2013 that lasted 16 days, and the most recent one in 2018-2019 that lasted 35 days.