美国人就预算危机力陈己见
时间:2013-09-25 08:12:26
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WASHINGTON — In the past three years, Americans have endured three threatened government shutdowns, two
legislative1 brawls2 over raising the debt limit, and another fight over automatic tax hikes and spending cuts.
Fiscal3 drama has become the norm in Washington, but Americans are of many different minds on the
lurch4 to crisis governance.
Far removed from the formality of Washington, Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles is distant
geographically5 and culturally from the nation’s capital. Tony, a
tattoo6 artist, said he refuses to lose sleep over yet another episode of dysfunction in Washington.
"I can't do anything about it, so I'm not going to stress over something I can't change. So I just take care of myself and my family, and that's all I can do," he said.
Others hope for yet another last-minute deal to
avert7 a government shutdown.
“They're not going to let it go. This is America. They have to do something,” said Gregg Donovan, a Hollywood greeter.
“I mean, the Republicans are nuts,” said Perry Mann, a street actor.
Some blame Republicans for near-constant fiscal drama.
“They're wasting their time and they're threatening to shut down the government. I mean, they don't care about anybody but themselves,” said Mann.
Others blame President Barack Obama and his signature health care law.
“I support defunding Obamacare. I think Obamacare is a disaster. When they say government shutdown, it doesn't mean that everything is going to stop,” said Larry Green, a tour industry worker.
And some prefer not to follow the news in Washington.
"Not as much as I should, I admit, and I probably represent quite a few people. But about the budget
impasse8, I think it happened so many times before,” said Julie Mammano, a children's author.
With fiscal showdowns common, some Americans may
shrug9 at Washington’s current impasse. But that will change if the federal government closes on October 1, according to
analyst10 Stan Collender.
“This will start to have an impact on people’s thinking when it has an impact on their lives - not when they are hearing about the possibility on the news, but when they call the Department of Education and no one is there to answer the phone. Or when they need a visa or a passport and no one is there to process it," said Collender.
Collender thinks this time a shutdown is more likely than not, and that Americans are suffering from what he calls “crisis
fatigue11.”
No one should underestimate consequences of a shutdown, according to Democratic Senator Charles Schumer. “I think the American people get very aware when the stock market goes down 2,000 points.”
In New York, some urge consequences for members of Congress. "I think they should all be fired,” said Linda, a visitor to New York.
From New York to Los Angeles, Americans could do just that in next year’s congressional elections.
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