美联邦政府“停摆”近纪录 民众“伤不起”

Core Points - The U.S. federal government shutdown has entered its 34th day, nearing the record of 35 days set in late 2018 to early 2019, with significant impacts on various sectors including aviation, food assistance, and healthcare [1] - The ongoing political polarization between the Republican and Democratic parties is exacerbating the situation, with both sides using the shutdown to further their political agendas without signs of compromise [1] Aviation Industry - Approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 airport security personnel are working without pay, leading to staffing shortages and increased flight delays across the country [2] - The Federal Aviation Administration reported that nearly half of the major air traffic control facilities in the U.S. are experiencing staffing shortages, with nearly 90% of controllers in the New York area absent [2] - On November 2, nearly 4,300 flights were delayed and over 550 flights were canceled due to the staffing crisis [2] Food Assistance and Healthcare - The federal food assistance program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, ceased operations on November 1 due to funding exhaustion, affecting 42 million Americans, or about one-eighth of the U.S. population [3] - The Affordable Care Act's enrollment for the new year began on November 1, with 24 million expected to enroll, but rising premiums are anticipated due to a lack of agreement on government subsidies [3] - The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the shutdown could reduce the annual GDP growth rate by 1-2 percentage points in Q4, translating to economic losses of $7 billion for a 4-week shutdown, $11 billion for 6 weeks, and $14 billion for 8 weeks [3] Political Stalemate - The shutdown is primarily due to a deadlock between the two parties over healthcare spending, with neither side showing urgency to resolve the issue [4] - The Trump administration has been attempting to significantly cut spending and reduce federal employment, with expectations that over 10,000 federal positions may be eliminated due to the shutdown [5] - Both parties are leveraging the shutdown to solidify their political positions, with Democrats aiming to portray themselves as advocates for low-income groups while Republicans focus on reducing government spending [5]