两党互不相让，民众苦不堪言，美政府停摆36天创“不光彩纪录”

Core Points - The U.S. federal government shutdown has reached a historic 36 days, surpassing the previous record of 35 days from late 2018 to early 2019, due to ongoing political conflicts between the Democratic and Republican parties [1][3] - The 14th attempt to pass a temporary funding bill failed, primarily due to disagreements over healthcare spending related to the Affordable Care Act, which has led to significant increases in insurance premiums [3][4] - The shutdown is severely impacting lower-income individuals, with hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed and essential services disrupted, leading to potential food insecurity and other social issues [5][6] Political Dynamics - The political standoff is characterized by a lack of willingness from both parties to negotiate, with President Trump refusing to engage in discussions, contrasting with his previous approach during the 2018 shutdown [3][4] - The Democratic leadership is using the shutdown to strengthen party unity and frame healthcare as a critical issue for the upcoming midterm elections [4][7] - Polls indicate widespread dissatisfaction among the public with both parties, with a significant majority believing that neither party is addressing the needs of the citizens [7] Economic Impact - Economic experts estimate that the shutdown could cost the U.S. economy between $10 billion to $30 billion for each additional week it continues, with potential long-term effects on economic growth [5][6] - The prolonged nature of this shutdown, combined with a more fragile economy compared to previous years, could lead to a decrease in the fourth-quarter economic growth rate by as much as 2 percentage points [6][7] - The perception of government shutdowns has shifted, with them becoming a normalized aspect of U.S. politics rather than a rare occurrence, raising concerns about the implications for governance and public trust [7]