Government in shutdown mode/ Photo by Walt Otto

We've been talking a lot about how this government shutdown is corrosive for our democracy. And it is. It has hurled our government into chaos, and it keeps our nation from talking about important issues – like access to education, natural disaster relief, and income inequality, to name a few – and instead keeps us talking about how long this absurd crisis will go on and speculating about how it eventually will come to a close.

But, of course, there's also a cost in dollars. Estimates suggest that the shutdown costs this country $1.6 billion per week. That's the drag on our economy from allowing federal government operations to grind to a halt.

What can you do?

• Contact your legislators and demand better
• Watch and share this video: 4 Crazy Things Congress Did Instead of Passing a Budget