Economic Numbers Improve, But Some Americans Feel 'Left Behind'
經(jīng)濟(jì)數(shù)據(jù)改善,但一些美國人感覺被落下
Americans are still frustrated with the economy although new economic information suggests people are working and pay is higher.
雖然新的經(jīng)濟(jì)信息表明人們開始就業(yè)并且工資更高,美國人還是對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)感到失望。
Many people say the economic recovery has left them behind. They say they plan to voice their frustrations when they vote in the presidential election in November.
很多人表示,經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇把他們落下了。他們計(jì)劃在今年11月總統(tǒng)大選投票時(shí)表達(dá)他們的不滿。
Denise Alber from Stafford County in the state of Virginia is one of those people.
來自弗吉尼亞州斯塔福德郡的丹尼斯·艾伯(Denise Alber)就是其中一位。
She has two college degrees. She has decided not to work and to help her 98-year-old mother. Together, they receive a fixed income of nearly $25,000 a year. That total is just above the poverty rate for a family of two.
她擁有兩個(gè)大學(xué)學(xué)位。她已經(jīng)決定不工作去照顧她98歲的母親。她倆每年一共能獲得2.5萬美元的固定收入,僅略高于貧困的兩口之家。
She says the price for food, gasoline and electricity have increased, but her family's income has not gone up.
她說,食品、汽油和電力的價(jià)格都有所上漲,但是她的家庭收入并沒有水漲船高。
"It's been very, very difficult to maintain that same standard of living, we have not maintained it."
她說,“想要維持同等標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的生活非常難,我們就沒能維持。”
Alber believes that the middle class is not being treated fairly.
艾伯認(rèn)為中產(chǎn)階級(jí)沒有受到公平對(duì)待。
Economic numbers show improvement
經(jīng)濟(jì)數(shù)據(jù)表明有所改善
New government data show that family incomes rose over five percent in 2015. That is the largest increase since 2007.
新的政府?dāng)?shù)據(jù)表明,2015年美國家庭收入增長了5%以上,這是自2007年以來增長最大的一次。
That increase is another indication that the U.S. recovery continues.
這種增長是美國的經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇還在持續(xù)的另一個(gè)跡象。
However, economists say incomes remain nearly two percent below levels in 2007, before the start of the Great Recession.
然而經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家表示,收入比2007年大衰退開始之前的水平還是低了近2個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。
Maya MacGuineas is the president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. She understands why many Americans feel like the recovery has left them behind. She said Americans once took a job and the salary grew until retirement.
瑪雅·麥克金尼斯(Maya MacGuineas)是美國盡責(zé)聯(lián)邦預(yù)算委員會(huì)的主席。她理解為什么很多美國人感覺經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇把他們落下了。她說,美國人曾經(jīng)有工作,而且工資一路漲到退休。
"I don't think it feels like that anymore."
她說,“我認(rèn)為再也不會(huì)那樣了。”
Economists say it is that sense of betrayal that is driving much of the anger during this election season. Some dissatisfaction is caused by a feeling that middle class incomes have remained the same while wealthy families have prospered.
經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家表示,這種意義上的反差讓這次選舉季期間產(chǎn)生了太多的憤怒。有些不滿是由某種看法造成的,他們認(rèn)為中產(chǎn)階級(jí)的收入一直保持不變,而富裕家庭得到了蓬勃發(fā)展。
Elise Gould is senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. She says the difference between the highest and lowest earners has increased since the recession.
埃莉斯·古爾德(Elise Gould)是華盛頓經(jīng)濟(jì)政策研究所的一位高級(jí)經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家。她說,自經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退以來,高、低收入者之間的差異有所加大。
"The top five percent is still the only group that has completely returned back to their 2000 levels. So they've made up lost ground. There's inequality across the income distribution."
“最頂端的5%仍然是完全恢復(fù)到他們2000年水平的唯一人群,所以他們已經(jīng)彌補(bǔ)了損失。整個(gè)收入分配都存在不平等。”
Some economists blame the lack of an economic recovery for all on political disagreements in Washington.
一些經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家將缺乏整體經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇歸咎于華盛頓的政治分歧。
That is one of the reasons Denise Alper says the next election is so important. But, she is not hopeful that the leading candidates will be able to provide results.
這就是艾伯稱下屆大選非常重要的原因之一。但是她對(duì)主要候選人將會(huì)解決這個(gè)問題并不抱希望。
"In terms of the economy or politics, I'm very despondent in that regard. I don't think either candidate will help the middle class."
她說,“在經(jīng)濟(jì)或政治方面我很失望。我認(rèn)為兩位候選人都無益于中產(chǎn)階級(jí)。”
I'm Jonathan Evans.
喬納斯·埃文斯報(bào)道。