In this episode, I break down the looming government shutdown as Congress faces a September 30th deadline—explaining how 27% of government spending could halt (closing national parks and stopping economic data releases) while Social Security continues, discussing Trump's unprecedented push for permanent federal layoffs rather than temporary furloughs, and reassuring you that historically the S&P 500 gains 55% of the time during shutdowns with markets higher 86% of the time twelve months later.