What was the longest government shutdown? [Video]

The federal government is on a precipice, teetering on the edge of a possible government shutdown ─ just days before Christmas and the start of Hanukkah.

No one expected to be here. Republicans and Democrats spent months working on a bipartisan spending bill, and in the 11th hour, Elon Musk and President-elect Trump stepped in and told Republicans to go back to the drawing board. So they did, and it’s messy.

A shutdown would cause chaos for the many federal workers living in D.C. and the region. If a deal isn’t reached in Congress by the end of Friday, starting at midnight on Saturday, the federal government will shut down and paychecks to federal workers will stop going out, including members of the military.

Federal workers considered essential will have to report to work, but they will not be paid for their …