The longest government shutdown in US history ended (in part) on
January 26th. This week, research emerged from the CBO that estimated its total cost at $11bn to the US economy.
Shutdowns are aways messy. But looking back at previous shutdowns, Trump's recent standoff looks especially chaotic at 35 days long.
No one knows exactly how to estimate the net loss cost of a shutdown. That's why most economists ask smart people like statisticians to figure it out. Estimated losses range from $12.5 to $20mn per hour for puttin government workers on furlough. Even with the promise of backpay at a later date, that is work and productivity that the economy will never get back.
The above chart uses data from S&P Global, who released a report documenting their findings. More history and dates on previous government shutdowns can be found here.
The above chart uses data from S&P Global, who released a report documenting their findings. More history and dates on previous government shutdowns can be found here.
Chart designed in Python and Adobe Illustrator.
