U.S. Government Shutdown Worsens as Millions Face Food, Income Crisis 

The United States government shutdown entered its second month on Friday, worsening economic and social hardship across the country as federal services grind to a halt and millions of Americans feel the impact.

What began on October 1 as a political standoff in Washington has snowballed into a national crisis.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees remain without pay, food assistance programs are on the brink of collapse, and critical public services are paralyzed amid bitter divisions between President Donald Trump’s administration and congressional Democrats.

At the center of the stalemate is funding for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as Obamacare. The program, which helps more than 20 million citizens afford health insurance, faces expiration at the end of the year unless Congress renews the subsidies.

Democrats have refused to approve a government funding bill without a deal to sustain the health program, while Republicans insist negotiations cannot resume until the government is reopened.

The shutdown’s ripple effects are spreading fast. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports over 40 million low-income Americans, is expected to run out of funds this weekend.

Efforts by Democrats to access $5 billion in emergency reserves have been blocked by the White House, which argues the move would be illegal. Meanwhile, food aid for women, infants, and children (WIC) and early childhood programs such as Head Start are also running out of money.

House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that the situation was reaching a “breaking point,” blaming Democrats for repeatedly rejecting funding bills.

However, a new poll by ABC News and *The Washington Post* shows that 45 percent of Americans blame Trump and Republicans for the shutdown, compared with 33 percent who hold Democrats responsible.

So far, about 670,000 federal employees have been furloughed, while another 730,000—including essential workers like air traffic controllers—continue to work without pay.

Although active-duty troops received their pay on Friday, officials caution that military salaries may be delayed by mid-November if the deadlock persists.

In Congress, a few moderate lawmakers from both parties have begun informal talks to craft a compromise that could reopen the government and revisit healthcare funding. Still, with Trump urging the Senate to remove its 60-vote rule—effectively neutralizing Democratic opposition—any swift resolution appears unlikely.

As Washington remains locked in partisan gridlock, ordinary Americans are left to bear the consequences of a shutdown that shows no signs of easing.