The partial government shutdown is inflicting far greater damage on the U.S. economy than previously estimated, the White House acknowledged yesterday, as President Trump’s economists doubled projections of how much economic growth is being lost each week the standoff with Democrats continues, the New York Times reported. The revised estimates from the Council of Economic Advisers show that the shutdown, now in its fourth week, is beginning to have real economic consequences. The analysis, and other projections from outside the White House, suggests that the shutdown has already weighed significantly on growth and could ultimately push the U.S. economy into a contraction. To blunt the shutdown’s effects, the administration yesterday called tens of thousands of employees back to work, without pay, to process tax returns, ensure flight safety and inspect food and drugs.
