作者：纳撒尼尔・迈尔松 "这就是一场全面爆发的民生负担危机。" 曼哈顿区长马克・莱文在 12 月的报告中直言。曼哈顿公寓租 金中位数已突破每月 5400 美元。 这座城市的生活成本危机已蔓延至食品、育儿及其他日常生活领域：全市有 140 万人面临食品匮乏问 题，占总人口的 15%。美国人口普查局数据显示，一个家庭若要为 2 岁幼儿承担育儿费用，年收入需 达到33.4 万美元。 纽约市新任市长佐兰・曼达尼，肩负着一项重任 —— 让这座全球生活成本最高的城市之一，变得更宜 居。 曼达尼面临诸多经济挑战。 纽约市新任市长佐兰・ 纽约市普通家庭超半数收入用于支付房租，每晚有 10 万人栖身于无家可归者收容所。 凭借聚焦工薪阶层民生议题的施政主张，曼达尼以纽约市 60 年来最高得票率当选市长。如今，他亟需 兑现其进步主义施政纲领，而当下纽约经济增速放缓、联邦政府持续削减社会保障体系支出、城市财政 缺口不断扩大，重重难题摆在眼前。 纽约食品匮乏问题加 剧，住房成本持续攀升。 曼达尼承诺实施房租冻结政策，并新建更多保障性住房。但众多运营补贴性住房的非营利机构与开发商 坦言，其运营成本早已入不敷出。 此外，他还计划为所有6 ...

2025年，"SLOP"（劣质内容）、"PARASOCIAL"（拟社会关系）和"rage bait"（激怒诱饵）曾是年度热词的有力竞争者。但到了2026年， 至少在民调专家和选举策略师眼中，"可负担性"（affordability）——常与"危机"一词搭配——已早早成为热门候选。民主党人终于找到了一 句似乎能有效对抗特朗普主义魔咒的口号，因此从现在到11月中期选举前，他们几乎不会再谈别的。欧洲虽更擅长转发美国的网络迷因而非创 造新梗，但也开始谈论"生活成本危机"。大西洋两岸正逐渐形成一种共识：物价已经失控。但事实果真如此吗？ "可负担性"是个模糊的概念，其含义往往取决于人们主观感受。告诉民众别再抱怨、要知足常乐——这种"玛丽·安托瓦内特式"策略，在白宫已 行不通了；毕竟如今白宫的氛围与装饰越来越像凡尔赛宫。令人恼火的是，选民的愿望自相矛盾：购物时希望价格低廉，自己却想要高工资；不 希望太多移民，却又渴望大量廉价劳动力；自己拥有房产时盼着房价上涨，轮到子女买房时又希望房价下跌。 成功的经济体本就充满这类张力。政客们自然会说些民调支持率高的话来赢得选举。如果"可负担性"叙事唯一的后果只是选民因高物价惩罚现 任官员 ...

特朗普总统在一场态度强硬的演讲中宣扬了自己的经济成就，但部分选民正承受着居高不下的通胀与渐 趋降温的劳动力市场带来的压力。 特朗普总统在讲台前发 表讲话，两侧摆放着圣诞树。 安德鲁报道。突发消息：真相社交的母公司 —— 上市公司特朗普媒体科技集团刚刚宣布，将与专注核 聚变技术研发的私营企业 TAE 科技公司合并。如果你对此感到困惑，我们亦有同感。 一家媒体公司与核聚变能有什么关联？答案很可能是毫无关联。尽管两家公司发表了异乎寻常的声明， 称其正打造 "不可撤销的基础设施，保障美国民众的网络言论自由，如今更将迈出重要一步，推动这项 革命性技术发展，巩固美国在全球能源领域的长期主导地位"。 更合理的解释是，特朗普媒体科技集团正利用其估值虚高的股票，将一家风险较高的核聚变企业纳入自 身业务版图。这不禁让人质疑，为何 TAE 科技公司宁愿通过这种 "特洛伊木马" 式的交易实现上市，而 非独立上市。当然，我们还需深入探究这笔交易背后的各方关键人物，以及白宫在核聚变产业的发展与 监管过程中将扮演何种角色等问题。 关键抉择时刻 在充满节日氛围的装饰背景下，特朗普总统试图扭转一个问题的舆论走向 —— 美国的生活成本危机。 该 ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the ongoing inflation crisis in the U.S. and its political implications, particularly for former President Trump, who claims that prices are falling despite data indicating otherwise. The article highlights the growing popularity of dollar stores as consumers seek affordable options amid rising living costs [3][4][5]. Inflation and Economic Data - Inflation pressures remain significant in the U.S., with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising by 0.3% in September, leading to an annual inflation rate increase from 2.9% to 3%, the highest since January [6][7]. - The average American household is spending an additional $208 per month compared to the previous year due to inflation, and $1,043 more than in early 2021 [7]. - Gasoline prices surged by 4.2% in September, contributing significantly to the overall price increase [6][7]. Political Implications - Inflation has become a focal point in recent local elections, with Democrats winning in states like New York and New Jersey by emphasizing the cost of living issue [4]. - Trump's approval ratings have dropped from over 50% to 42.4%, with voters indicating inflation as their primary concern [4]. Dollar Store Performance - Dollar General reported a 2.5% increase in same-store sales for the third quarter, while Dollar Tree saw a 4.2% increase, indicating strong performance amid economic pressures [11]. - High-income households are increasingly shopping at dollar stores, with 60% of new customers earning over $100,000 annually [11][12]. - Kroger, a major supermarket chain, reported a 2.6% increase in comparable sales, noting differences in spending patterns across income groups [12].

Core Insights - The number of Americans seriously behind on credit card payments has reached a near 15-year high, with 12.4% of credit card loan balances more than 90 days overdue, the highest since 2011 [1][3] - Total credit card debt in the U.S. has surged by 76% since 2011, now totaling a record $1.23 trillion [1][3] - Consumer sentiment has sharply declined, with personal finance sentiment at its lowest since 2009, indicating growing economic concerns [2] Economic Impact - The rising delinquency rates suggest a significant portion of consumers are struggling financially, particularly with high-interest credit card debt [3] - The affordability crisis is affecting lower-income households, leading to increased complaints about the cost of essential goods and services [4][5] - Job growth has stalled, and the unemployment rate has increased to 4.4%, raising concerns about the financial stability of lower-income households [6] Government Response - In response to rising costs, the government has announced tariff exemptions on over 200 food imports to help reduce grocery prices, marking a shift from previous tariff policies [5] - There are plans to distribute $2,000 checks to low and middle-income citizens funded by tariff income, aiming to alleviate financial pressures [6]

Core Insights - The Biden administration is under pressure to address a cost-of-living crisis affecting millions of Americans, with potential adjustments to grocery tariffs being considered to lower prices [1] - The National Economic Council Chairman Kevin Hassett indicated that discussions are ongoing regarding food tariff adjustments, suggesting more changes may follow [1] - Former President Trump plans to make a significant announcement aimed at stabilizing food prices, including items like coffee and bananas [1] Group 1 - The inflation rate is currently at 3%, which Hassett believes is moving in the right direction, but acknowledges that grocery prices have continued to rise during Trump's presidency [2] - Typical monthly grocery spending for a family increased from approximately $400 when Trump left office to about $512 currently, indicating a significant rise in food costs [2] - Trump's imposition of large tariffs on most trade partners raised the average tariff level in the U.S. to its highest point since World War II [2] Group 2 - The U.S. has granted exemptions from retaliatory tariffs for certain industries like chips, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals, while investigations are ongoing that may lead to future tariffs [2] - Many countries are seeking limited agreements with the U.S. to reduce some of the tariffs imposed by Trump, but the government maintains a baseline tariff of at least 10% on nearly all trade partners [2]

Core Insights - The surge in precious metal prices is aiding the rebound of several African currencies from earlier weaknesses [1] - The Zambian kwacha has appreciated approximately 8% in June, making it the best-performing currency globally [1] - Other currencies such as the Tanzanian shilling and Nigerian naira have also seen increases of 4% and 3.1% respectively [1] Currency Performance - The significant rise in prices of metals including platinum, palladium, gold, silver, and copper has preceded the appreciation of these currencies [1] - Ghana's currency, the cedi, has shown remarkable performance this year, appreciating over 43% against the US dollar, following a debt default at the end of 2022 [1] - In contrast, many African currencies experienced substantial depreciation last year, exacerbating inflation and leading to a cost-of-living crisis in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, and Ethiopia [1] Historical Context - The depreciation of currencies in 2022 varied significantly, with Ghana's currency depreciating by 19% and Ethiopia's by 56% [1]

Election Overview - The parliamentary election in Portugal on the 18th resulted in the center-right Social Democratic Party winning the most seats but failing to secure an absolute majority of 116 seats, making it unable to form a government alone [1] - The far-right "Enough" party achieved a record high vote share, becoming the biggest winner of the election [1] - The election was the third early parliamentary election in Portugal within less than four years, raising questions about the political stability and future governance [1] Rise of the Far-Right Party - The "Enough" party capitalized on widespread voter dissatisfaction regarding issues such as housing shortages, strained public healthcare resources, and frequent corruption scandals [2] - The traditional left-wing Socialist Party, which has been in power since 2015, saw a decline in support due to multiple corruption scandals and a lack of improvement in the living conditions of the populace, leading to a political crisis in 2024 [2] - The rise of the "Enough" party reflects a broader trend of far-right parties gaining traction across Europe, breaking Portugal's previous status as an exception [2] Future Political Landscape - Portugal operates under a parliamentary system with a unicameral legislature consisting of 230 members serving four-year terms [3] - The current political situation remains uncertain, particularly regarding whether President de Sousa will invite Prime Minister Montenegro to form a government [3] - Montenegro has ruled out forming a coalition with the "Enough" party, citing concerns over its reliability and stability, which poses significant governance challenges for any new government [3]

Core Points - The Democratic Union, led by current Prime Minister Montenegro, won the most seats in the Portuguese parliamentary elections but did not achieve the absolute majority required to form a government [1] - The Democratic Union received 32.1% of the votes, translating to 86 seats, while the Socialist Party garnered 23.38% of the votes for 58 seats, and the far-right "Enough" party also received 22.56% of the votes for 58 seats [1] - Key issues during the election included immigration policy, the cost of living crisis, and housing problems, with increasing voter concerns about political stability and economic welfare [1]