Um, everyone . . . the government is not shut down

That little bit you keep hearing about "essential services" continuing to operate is the key. It may be true that some 800,000 (!) federal employees deemed nonessential are going to get a few days off (follow by back pay), but pretty much every part of the government the average American engages with on a regular or semi-regular basis is up and running as per usual. But don't take my word for it. Let the left-wing goons at Newsweek tell you:

Military members report to work, but their pay could be threatened. U.S. Postal Service workers will still deliver mail, as their work is not funded by taxpayer dollars. Only 9 percent of Internal Revenue Service employees reported to work during the last shutdown. You're still required to pay taxes, but any refunds could potentially be delayed, depending on the extent of the shutdown. Social Security and food stamps are categorized as essential services and therefore will continue to be issued. Medicare and Medicaid are still running, as well as veterans’ hospitals. Travel will most likely be unaffected, as airports will remain open. Air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration officials and border patrol agents are considered essential employees. Amtrak trains will not be affected, and neither will the National Weather Service. National parks and national monuments will remain open, unlike their status during the 2013 government shutdown.

Now this is not to say there are no offices closed, or that no complications will result. Some employees will miss their paydays if a funding bill isn't passed in the course of the next week or two, although they'll all be made whole with back pay when the standoff is resolved - even if they didn't work during the so-called "shutdown." But there is more of the federal government working today than there would be on Columbus Day. And that leads to two questions:

1. If the non-essential services can't operate because there is no congressional funding authorization, how are "essential" services operating? From where is the authority to pay for them? Are we spending money Congress hasn't allocated? How is that legal?
2. If we have more than 800,000 federal employees who aren't essential . . . why?

I can't even get myself interested in the whole who's-to-blame nonsense because the shutdown isn't even real. It's more a political narrative than it is a real event. Senate Democrats knew they could engineer a "shutdown" that would garner the usual media hysterics. They also knew the coverage would be more about the political ramifications than what's actually happening with government services, and that they would be portrayed as innocent even though they planned and executed this entire thing intentionally. They knew the media would run with "Republicans control the entire government" because it's easier than explaining the problem with Senate filibusters on budget measures, and also because it suits their ideological agenda. As for most Americans, the lack of operation from nonessential federal agencies is not interrupting life in the slightest, because the truth is they do nothing to better our lives. They exist for the benefit of the political class, and that's who they serve. That's why the political class is freaking out but normal people don't really feel any impact. Because there isn't any. If only the shutdown was real. People might start figuring out that what they're used go having the federal government do for them, they can actually do for themselves.