THE RESULT of America’s midterm elections(中期选举) occurred under two sets of conflicting facts: by many conventional measures(按许多常规指标衡量) the economy is performing above average, yet Americans remain deeply dissatisfied(不满的) with their economic circumstances, displaying attitudes in surveys more typical of those during a recession(更像是衰退时期的态度).
美国中期选举的结果是在两组相互矛盾的事实下产生的：按许多常规指标衡量，经济表现高于平均水平，然而美国人对自身经济状况仍深感不满，在调查中表现出的态度更像是经济衰退时期的态度。
And America is far from being in that predicament(远未陷入那种困境). Real GDP grew at a healthy 3.4% annual rate in the third quarter, up from 2.2% in the second. Unemployment and layoffs are low and the roaring expansion in investment, partly thanks to an AI sector free from excessive regulation, offers reasons for optimism about future productivity.(失业和裁员率很低，投资迅猛扩张——部分得益于人工智能行业免受过度监管——为未来生产率提供了乐观理由。) Yet the University of Michigan’s consumer-sentiment index(消费者信心指数) stood at(处于（某数值）) just 48.0 in October, down from 53.6 a year earlier. Its index of current economic conditions was even lower, at 46.7. Such readings have in the past been associated with severe economic stress.
而美国远未陷入那种困境。第三季度实际GDP年化增长率为健康的3.4%，高于第二季度的2.2%。失业和裁员率很低，投资迅猛扩张——部分得益于人工智能行业免受过度监管——为未来生产率提供了乐观理由。然而，密歇根大学的消费者信心指数10月仅为48.0，低于一年前的53.6。其当前经济状况指数更低，为46.7。这样的读数在过去与严重的经济压力相关。
The election results may be explained in part(部分地) by a continued—and generally faster-than-expected—rise in the prices of food, gasoline, housing and much else. Many households with rising nominal wages have endured real wage declines this year.(许多名义工资上涨的家庭今年却经历了实际工资下降。)
选举结果可能部分归因于食品、汽油、住房等许多商品价格的持续上涨——且涨幅普遍快于预期。许多名义工资上涨的家庭今年却经历了实际工资下降。