We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown  —  Here's what they said.  —  Just now  —  How concerned are Americans about the partial shutdown of the federal government and whom do they blame for causing it?  The Washington Post texted a nationally representative sample of 1,010 people on Wednesday to ask.

Senior government officials privately warn against firings during shutdown  —  The Trump administration has telegraphed that mass firings are coming, but officials have cautioned that such moves could violate appropriations law.  —  Senior federal officials have quietly counseled several agencies …

Early polls show Trump and GOP taking more blame than Democrats for shutdown  —  The national surveys taken in the final days of September and the first day of the shutdown find that voters are more inclined to blame Trump and his party.  But many are uncertain.

Farmers, a key GOP constituency, hit hard by shutdown  —  The government shutdown is already hurting a key GOP constituency: farmers.  Thousands of USDA's Farm Service Agency offices that help producers across the country access loans and other services are completely shuttered and only available for “emergency scenarios.”

Education Department employees surprised to find their email automatically changed to blame Democrats for shutdown  —  Five furloughed employees told NBC News they had put up nonpartisan out-of-office messages, only to see they were changed — without their permission — to partisan ones.