Cheryl Kelley is a former Senior Government Official with experience across five Cabinet Agencies, including serving as Director of Planning, Management and Budget. What people call “shutdowns” affect only the most visible, least essential services. Somewhere, at 3 a.m. this morning, USDA Food Safety Inspectors walked into meat processing plants across America. What actually stops during shutdowns are the visible, public-facing services that make citizens feel the political pain. This includes tourist visits to National Parks and the Smithsonian and processing of some permits and applications.