Why the President approved a partial shutdown of the government?

Trump demanded $5 billion for the US/Mexico border wall, and the democrats do not want to give any money towards the wall.  At first, Trump agreed to a short-term funding extension with no money for the wall, but expert conservatives gave a negative response.  Trump suddenly changed his mind and forced the government into a shutdown until they come up with a new agreement.

Who/what does it affect?

Homeland security,justice, state and treasury,environmental protection agency and NASA, 800,000 government workers are living without pay, half being sent back to work without pay until it reopens.airport security workers calling out sick in increased numbers. 420,000 federal workers are being expected to go to work without pay.

Are there other times when this has been shut-down?

Bill clinton shutdown the government the winter of 1995 going into 1996 for a total of 21 days , also the obama team shutdown the government back in 2013 for 16 days. Gerald Ford shutdown the government in 1976 for 10 days. Jimmy Carter three times in 1977 one for 12 days and two for 8 days

How is it affecting our local community? In what ways?

Families of the government are running out of money for basic need like food for them and their families and having to go to local food banks to be able to eat their next meal. A bunch of people are coming together and giving the government workers out of work the food they need until they can get back to work.With the workers not getting paid people can’t afford the buy the medicine they need. For example epilepsy. People are also not able to pay their electricity bills. Fox 29 covered a food bank in south jersey that is starting to run out of food with the increased number of people who are coming in now. 1,500 volunteered to keep the NORAD santa tracker still open.The small business loans and the FHA will be shut down during this.