On October 1, 2013, the federal government shut down. More than 800,000 civil servants were sent home. Another 1.6 million employees were left to carry the load.
In the Washington, D.C., metro area, the effects of the shutdown were obvious. The streets were sparse. Downtown restaurants were deserted. Government buildings sat empty.
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But beyond the beltway bubble, many Americans didn't truly see or feel the complete effects of the shutdown. The U.S. Postal Service continued to make deliverie
