Americans Are Too Turned Off by Washington to Even Complain 美國人對華府反感到懶得再抱怨

2023年12月14日星期四

Americans Are Too Turned Off by Washington to Even Complain 美國人對華府反感到懶得再抱怨

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Americans Are Too Turned Off by Washington to Even Complain 美國人對華府反感到懶得再抱怨
Federal Firefighters Face Steep Pay Cuts 大火頻發反遭大減薪美聯邦消防員火大

Americans Are Too Turned Off by Washington to Even Complain 美國人對華府反感到懶得再抱怨
文/Jack Healy, J. David Goodman
譯/羅方妤美國人對華府反感到懶得再抱怨 Whitney Smith's phone buzzed with a text from her mother, alerting her to the latest can-you-believe-it mess in Washington: "Far right ousted the House speaker. Total chaos now." 惠妮．史密斯的手機響起，是母親發來的訊息，提醒她最近華府發生一件令人難以置信的事：「極右派罷免聯邦眾議院議長。現在完全陷入混亂。」 Smith, 35, a bookkeeper and registered independent in suburban Phoenix, wanted no part of it. She tries to stay engaged in civic life by voting, volunteering in local campaigns and going to city meetings. But over the past week, the pandemonium of a narrowly averted government shutdown and leadership coup in the Republican-controlled House confirmed many Americans' most cynical feelings about the federal government. 35歲的史密斯是名簿記員，在亞歷桑納州鳳凰城郊區註冊為獨立人士，她不想參與其中。她試圖透過投票、志願投入當地競選活動和前往市民大會，保持公民參與。但在過去一周，政府勉強免於關門，及共和黨把持的眾院領導層改變所造成的騷動，證實了許多美國人對聯邦政府抱持的最憤世嫉俗心情。 "It was just like, Oh God, what now?" she said. 她說：「這種感覺就像是，喔天啊，現在怎麼辦？」 Griping about politics is a time-honored American pastime — but lately, the country's political mood has plunged to some of the worst levels on record. 抱怨政治是美國歷史悠久的消遣，但近來美國政治情緒已經跌至有史以來最糟水平。 After weathering the tumult of the Trump presidency, a pandemic, the Capitol insurrection, inflation, multiple presidential impeachments and far-right Republicans' pervasive lies about fraud in the 2020 election, voters say they feel tired and angry. 經歷川普執政時期混亂，疫情、國會暴亂、通貨膨脹、多次總統彈劾案，還有極右派共和黨人普遍對於2020年總統大選詐欺說謊，選民表示他們感到疲憊和憤怒。 In dozens of recent interviews across the country, voters young and old expressed a broad pessimism about the next presidential election that transcends party lines, as well as a teetering faith in political institutions. 在近期的數十個採訪中，年輕和年長的選民都對下次總統大選表達出悲觀的情緒，這超越了黨派界線，他們對政治機構的信心也搖搖欲墜。 The White House and Congress have pumped out billions of dollars to fix and improve the nation's roads, ports, pipelines and internet. They have approved hundreds of billions to combat climate change and lower the cost of prescription drugs. President Joe Biden has canceled billions more in student debt. Yet those accomplishments have not fully registered with voters. 白宮和國會已投入數十億美元修復和改善美國道路、港口、管線以及網際網路。他們批准了上千億美元對抗氣候變遷和降低處方藥成本。總統拜登則已經取消數十億美元的學生債務。但是這些成就都尚未得到選民的認可。 Voters said that Washington infighting and the Republicans' flirtation with debt default and government shutdowns recklessly put people's paychecks, health care and benefits at risk at a moment when they are preoccupied with how to pay rising health care and grocery bills, or to cope with a fast-warming climate unleashing natural disasters in nearly every corner of the nation. 選民表示，民眾全神貫注思考如何支付漲價的健保和食品雜貨帳單，或是應付快速暖化的氣候幾乎在全美國每個角落造成自然災害之際，華府內鬥、共和黨人挑起債務違約和輕率地讓政府關門，使民眾工資、健保和福利在一瞬間陷入風險。 "Disgust isn't a strong enough word," said Bianca Vara, a Democrat and grandmother of five in the Atlanta area who runs a stall at a flea market that crackles with discussions of politics. 擁有五名孫子女、住在亞特蘭大的民主黨人畢安卡．瓦拉在跳蚤市場上經營一個攤位，當地充滿各種政治討論。她說：「用作嘔這個字來形容這個狀況還不夠強烈。」

Federal Firefighters Face Steep Pay Cuts 大火頻發反遭大減薪美聯邦消防員火大
文/Madeleine Ngo
譯/陳曉慈大火頻發反遭大減薪美聯邦消防員火大 Thousands of federal firefighters could face substantial pay cuts in the coming weeks, potentially hampering the country's ability to respond to wildfires as they have grown more severe. 成千上萬美國聯邦消防員未來幾周內恐面臨大幅減薪，在美國野火災害惡化之際，恐進一步阻礙美國因應火災的能力。 Federal wildland firefighters received a temporary boost to their paychecks last year, which was meant to help strained agencies offer more competitive wages to recruit and retain workers. But funding for the pay raises is set to run dry next month, and federal officials have warned that more firefighters will leave for higher-paying jobs if their salaries are slashed. 聯邦荒野消防員去年獲得暫時性加薪，這是為了協助人力吃緊的聯邦消防單位開出更具競爭力的薪資，留住消防員並招募新血。但用來加薪的資金預計下個月就會用罄，而聯邦官員已警告，如果薪水削減，將導致更多消防員離職，尋求薪水更優渥的工作。 In 2021, President Joe Biden raised the minimum wage for wildland firefighters to $15 an hour from $13. Congress then agreed to increase firefighter pay by either 50% of a worker's base salary or $20,000 a year, whichever was lower. 2021年，美國總統拜登提高荒野消防員的最低薪資，時薪從13美元提高到15美元，國會後來同意提高消防員底薪50%，抑或每年加薪2萬美元，以較低者為準。 The typical base salary for an entry-level wildland firefighter is about $34,000 without the supplement, according to Agriculture Department data. 根據美國農業部資料，不計上述加薪的情況下，新進荒野消防員的標準底薪約3萬4000美元。 The temporary supplement was intended to serve as a "bridge for two years as the administration works with Congress on longer-term reforms," according to a White House statement. While there is some bipartisan support for a permanent pay raise, it is unclear whether Congress will approve an increase. 根據白宮聲明，暫時性加薪旨在作為「政府與國會攜手進行長期改革的為期兩年的過渡方案」。雖然一項永久加薪法案獲得某些跨黨派支持，但仍不確定國會是否會批准加薪。 Republicans are pushing for deep spending cuts, and disagreements over funding levels nearly led to a government shutdown late last month. The removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker has also thrown that chamber into disarray, raising the chances of a shutdown next month. 共和黨人正推動大幅削減開支，而資金水平的分歧上月底差點導致政府關門。眾議院議長麥卡錫遭罷黜也讓眾院陷入混亂，提高下個月政府關門風險。 The pay cuts are looming at a moment when climate change has intensified the risk of wildfires, which have grown larger, spread faster and become more destructive in recent years. Warmer temperatures and drier conditions have also led to longer fire seasons, increasing the burden on federal firefighters who respond to both fires on federal land and assist state and local fire departments. 減薪問題籠罩之際，氣候變遷加劇野火災害風險，近年的野火規模更大、蔓延更快速並且更具有毀滅性。氣溫升高、環境變乾也導致野火季的時間拉長，加重聯邦消防員負擔，他們除了負責應對聯邦土地上的野火，還得支援各州與地方的消防單位。 The federal government has long struggled to hire firefighters, largely because wages have lagged behind some state and local counterparts. Many workers could also earn more money at less strenuous jobs. 聯邦政府長期以來難以招募消防員，主要是因為薪水不如某些州及地方消防單位。許多工人從事較不辛苦的工作還能賺更多。 The National Federation of Federal Employees, which represents about 10,000 wildland firefighters, has estimated that 30% to 50% of the workforce could resign if salary increases end. 代表大約1萬名荒野消防員的美國聯邦雇員全國聯合會預估，加薪一旦中止恐將會導致30%至50%的人力辭職。

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近期藍白合宣告破局，三黨已各自提名正副總統候選人名單，而從目前多數民調數據顯示，民進黨提名的候選人支持度仍領先另外兩黨，這也引發市場資金更聚焦在蔡政府力推的再生能源、台電強化電網韌性建設計畫與生技產業，以及民進黨總統候選人賴清德強調的五大信賴產業，包括半導體、人工智慧、軍工、安控與通訊等。

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