Producer: Liu Chang

Hosts: Wang Zongnan & Aiwei

The U.S. government shutdown is stretching dangerously close to a new record. In this episode, we’ll unpack what’s going on and what makes this crisis different from before.

Highlights:

• The current shutdown has lasted 34 days—just one day short of breaking the record by the time this episode is released. We’ll see if it does.
• The impact is spreading: federal workers snapping under stress, endless lines for free meals, airport security grinding, and public spaces closing down.
• And we’ll ask a bigger question: why does this one feel so directionless? In past shutdowns, someone was at least trying to end it—but not this time.

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