It's a partial shut down meaning all non essential federal employees will go on furlough. We have enough money to pay essential workers (the military, FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, will continue as usual. As for stocks, they are affected because of the fear that the USA will default on it's Oct debts which would drop our credit rating again. We actually have until next month to take care of Oct's debt. The government is still pulling in over 2 billion dollars per month. A good president would pay the debts and not use this partial shut down to allow the debts to go unpaid. Of course Congress has to approve the budget but the president has to stop making his own demands and threats to veto any budget that does not comply to what he wants. Instead of just talking about working with congress he needs to start doing it. So far all he's done is to remain inflexible and is resolute in his promise that he will not compromise with republicans concerning what he wants the budget to include. He is the biggest part of this stalemate because he will not even discuss alternatives to the budget with the republicans. The shut down is simply a money saving venture. All the money saved goes to the bills owed. The stock market will stabilize as long as our credit rating does not drop again. This is up to Obama and the democrats. They can not have it only their way. They must concede on at least one demand the republicans make. It can not be only the democrats way and no way for the republicans. I do not think this shut down will last long because neither party really wants to be responsible for driving this country into economic collapse. Right now it's just a game of chicken, each side waiting until the bitter end to see who will turn the steering wheel first. I have faith that one or the other will do this to stop the collapse of this nation.

That helps. I have been going from radio to radio to TV, to computer with my eye balls spinning and my ears buzzing. Anxiety, you know. You seems to be up on these things. I read your concise post and now will go along my way free of radio and TV. Thanks.