The calm reaction of financial markets to the government shutdown could encourage President Donald Trump to press ahead with an agenda of cuts to federal employment and spending. The White House has threatened and already implemented some so-called “reductions-in-force,” in which agencies would fire employees who aren’t deemed essential. Trump has historically been highly attuned to the stock market as a barometer of his job. The strong performance gives him another reason to allow the shutdown to continue and the reduction in force to go through. This is going to be Democrats’ worst nightmare.”Republicans have implored Democrats to relent, arguing that they are holding the government — and federal workers — hostage to gain political capital.