What Does a Government Shut Down Mean?

This week, the Federal government officially ceased all "non-essential" activities. Unfortunately, this was widely anticipated due to differences of opinion in healthcare spending on Capitol Hill. However, what it all means for the average American isn’t completely clear.

People want to know:

• What is a government shutdown and what is it not?
• What or how have we gotten to this point?
• What is the practical impact on day-to-day economic activity?
• What are the long-term ramifications?
• What is the likelihood this will happen again?

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss the recent government shutdown, its potential causes and possible outcomes.