Shutdown update: Experts say a government shutdown is still likely

As the clock ticks closer to midnight on Sept. 30, we're weighing in regularly with about half a dozen congressional budget experts to see if they think the government is going to shut down come Oct. 1. Bookmark this post for their latest predictions. We'll update it often.

In the United States, you can't walk into a casino and bet on political outcomes. But if you could, we know some people who would advise you to put some money on the government shutting down on Oct. 1.

When Congress returned to work Sept. 8, it faced a nearly unprecedented number of deadlines and political dramas. The government needs to be funded by Sept. 30, but Congress is way behind in approving the series of spending bills necessary to pass a full budget. Instead, lawmakers probably will try to pass a short-term budget extension that basically keeps spending levels the same as last year and keeps the government open.

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