The term “shutdown” is also something of a misnomer. Lapses in funding are a bad way to do business, and they can delay paychecks for federal workers and temporarily shutter some government services. But the most recent shutdowns have affected only portions of the government, and they are usually short-lived.

House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled that former President Donald Trump could soften on his calls to shut down the federal government if a measure requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is not attached to a short-term spending bill.

The end to the shutdown drama is in sight. The end to House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) political headaches is not. Why it matters: This caps 10 excruciating days for Johnson. At each step, he's insisted the inevitable wasn't inevitable.