隨著美國總統(tǒng)大選臨近,兩位候選人在各州之間的拉票已經(jīng)進(jìn)入白熱化階段,而佛羅里達(dá)州似乎在現(xiàn)階段成為了二人的“必爭之地”。但該州的經(jīng)濟(jì)前景依舊晦暗不明,現(xiàn)任總統(tǒng)唐納德?特朗普是否能夠如愿贏得佛羅里達(dá)也要打上問號(hào)。不過從總體來看,他在當(dāng)?shù)氐那熬斑€是比較光明的。
佛羅里達(dá)州本次擁有29張選舉人票,僅次于加利福尼亞州。自1996年起,獲得佛羅里達(dá)州支持的候選人最終都成了美國總統(tǒng),所以該州也被玄乎地稱為“必勝”州。在經(jīng)歷完夏季的新冠肺炎疫情高峰后,佛羅里達(dá)州的確診率及死亡率已經(jīng)漸漸減緩,企業(yè)順勢迎來了復(fù)工復(fù)業(yè)。盡管喬?拜登在當(dāng)?shù)氐闹С致视诮衲?月底有所上升,但這種經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇軌跡似乎對(duì)特朗普更加有利。不過,近期華特迪士尼、奧蘭多環(huán)球影城度假村及位于邁阿密的美國航空公司放出的裁員消息依舊為其蒙上了一層不確定的陰影。
“從現(xiàn)在來看,還是有很多選民更在乎新總統(tǒng)對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)的處理能力?!狈鹆_里達(dá)大學(xué)的政治學(xué)家奧布里?朱厄特說道,“如果選民那么想的話,特朗普會(huì)更占優(yōu)勢?!?/p>
根據(jù)路透社與益普索集團(tuán)(Ipsos)及昆尼皮亞克大學(xué)聯(lián)合開展的調(diào)查,多數(shù)佛羅里達(dá)州的居民更支持特朗普,“經(jīng)濟(jì)”依然是當(dāng)?shù)厝说氖滓剂恳蛩亍?jù)特朗普競選相關(guān)網(wǎng)頁,他于10月25日在該洲共和黨支持地區(qū)開展造勢活動(dòng),再在當(dāng)?shù)匾粋€(gè)療養(yǎng)山莊稍息片刻,最后在彭薩科拉市參加晚間集會(huì)。
佛羅里達(dá)大西洋大學(xué)的政治學(xué)教授凱文?瓦格納表示,特朗普的競選團(tuán)隊(duì)只能寄希望于近期的經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇勢頭,同時(shí)但愿當(dāng)?shù)剡x民可以無視特朗普的防疫失利,或者希望他們不要把經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退和疫情聯(lián)系起來。
“顯然共和黨人更愿意對(duì)總統(tǒng)持樂觀態(tài)度?!蓖吒窦{說道,“但民主黨人不會(huì)買賬,獨(dú)立黨人也不會(huì)買賬?!?/p>
形勢轉(zhuǎn)好
有跡象表明,佛羅里達(dá)州的經(jīng)濟(jì)正在持續(xù)回彈。
擁有49年歷史的著名景點(diǎn)——奧蘭多迪士尼“神奇王國”門前的排隊(duì)隊(duì)伍在本月初已經(jīng)長得驚人。10月2日,“小矮人礦車”項(xiàng)目的單次排隊(duì)時(shí)間再次超過70分鐘,恢復(fù)到了疫情前(150分鐘)的近半數(shù)水平。
而在疫情方面,如前文所述,雖然時(shí)有起伏,但佛羅里達(dá)州的整體情況較仲夏時(shí)節(jié)明顯轉(zhuǎn)好,周平均新增確診病例已經(jīng)由7月每日12000例的峰值水平降至3200例左右。自夏季落后拜登8個(gè)百分點(diǎn)以來,特朗普近期在民調(diào)中的支持率顯著上升。據(jù)研究機(jī)構(gòu)RealClearPolitics的調(diào)查數(shù)據(jù),拜登目前略微領(lǐng)先特朗普2.1個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。
與此同時(shí),佛羅里達(dá)州的勞動(dòng)力市場也不像今年夏天那么慘淡了。最新的聯(lián)邦數(shù)據(jù)顯示,9月的失業(yè)率從兩個(gè)月前的11.4%降至7.6%——但奧蘭多是一個(gè)明顯例外,該地區(qū)的失業(yè)率高達(dá)9.8%。
在佛羅里達(dá)州,食客們外出就餐的次數(shù)比其他地方要多——這也有助于經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇。上個(gè)月,該州的州長羅恩?德桑蒂斯為進(jìn)一步促進(jìn)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長,放開了餐館“最多同時(shí)容納的就餐人數(shù)”限制,雖然這也招致了一些批評(píng)。
根據(jù)預(yù)訂服務(wù)平臺(tái)OpenTable提供的7日平均預(yù)訂量數(shù)據(jù),現(xiàn)在,該州餐館的上座率約為同期的60%,超過了全國水平。OpenTable的數(shù)據(jù)還顯示,在坦帕地區(qū),有超過75%的食客已經(jīng)恢復(fù)了外出就餐的習(xí)慣。
勝選秘訣:老年人
競選雙方都將目標(biāo)鎖定在佛羅里達(dá)州的兩大選民群體:拉美裔和老年人。四年前,在佛羅里達(dá)州65歲以上的老年人中,特朗普的支持率領(lǐng)先希拉里?克林頓17個(gè)百分點(diǎn),并助他贏下該州。然而在本月的昆尼皮亞克民調(diào)中,是拜登在佛羅里達(dá)州的老年人中領(lǐng)先15個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。
在皮涅拉斯縣的選民登記冊上,民主黨領(lǐng)先共和黨1個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。當(dāng)?shù)氐囊晃蛔h員艾普蘿?薩諾斯對(duì)特朗普很是反感,因?yàn)樗惶崦绹?jīng)濟(jì)本來就處在長達(dá)十年的創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄式擴(kuò)張中,而是大肆吹噓前疫情時(shí)代的經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮都是自己的功勞。
“經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮不是他的功勞,而是奧巴馬留下來的?!边@位現(xiàn)年71歲的民主黨人、小城格爾夫波特市的議員表示。“他沒有為經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮提供任何幫助。與中國的貿(mào)易摩擦傷害了農(nóng)民。如果他認(rèn)為對(duì)進(jìn)口貨物征收關(guān)稅是原產(chǎn)國買單的話,那么他就是個(gè)傻子——為此付出代價(jià)的,是貿(mào)易鏈另一端的消費(fèi)者?!?/p>
特朗普為了贏得佛羅里達(dá)州的拉美裔美國人,也展開了聲勢浩大的行動(dòng):投放大量廣告宣傳在他的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)下,人們的工資水平增長、就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)增加——還在競選現(xiàn)場用西班牙語打出“Subio Los Salarios”(工資增長)的宣傳標(biāo)語。9月,對(duì)邁阿密戴德縣選民進(jìn)行的民調(diào)顯示,雖然拜登在大多數(shù)拉美裔縣中處于領(lǐng)先地位,但與四年前希拉里的領(lǐng)先率相比還差一點(diǎn)。民主黨的民意測驗(yàn)員費(fèi)爾南德?阿曼迪提醒拜登在競選活動(dòng)要注意這一結(jié)果,因?yàn)閺臍v史傳統(tǒng)來看,民主黨要在自由派占多數(shù)的南佛羅里達(dá)州提高支持率,才能夠扭轉(zhuǎn)在保守派占多數(shù)的北佛羅里達(dá)州的劣勢。
在奧蘭多郊區(qū)的奧西奧拉縣,失業(yè)率高達(dá)13.3%。在一家商場里,埃米利奧?魯伊斯經(jīng)營著一個(gè)咖啡亭,深受波多黎各老年人的歡迎——他們在里面玩多米諾骨牌。他認(rèn)為,想要重振經(jīng)濟(jì),特朗普仍然是最佳選擇,盡管自疫情爆發(fā)以來,他自己的營業(yè)額下降了45%。
“我根本不怪他,因?yàn)槲矣X得,世界上任何一個(gè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人在處理這種情況時(shí),都不可能讓每個(gè)人都如愿。”這位30歲的拉美裔共和黨地方組織副主席說。“現(xiàn)在,我們比以往任何時(shí)候都需要一個(gè)可以維持經(jīng)濟(jì)正常運(yùn)行的人。而在他的前三年任期中,特朗普的表現(xiàn)很出色?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
編譯:陳怡軒、陳聰聰
隨著美國總統(tǒng)大選臨近,兩位候選人在各州之間的拉票已經(jīng)進(jìn)入白熱化階段,而佛羅里達(dá)州似乎在現(xiàn)階段成為了二人的“必爭之地”。但該州的經(jīng)濟(jì)前景依舊晦暗不明,現(xiàn)任總統(tǒng)唐納德?特朗普是否能夠如愿贏得佛羅里達(dá)也要打上問號(hào)。不過從總體來看,他在當(dāng)?shù)氐那熬斑€是比較光明的。
佛羅里達(dá)州本次擁有29張選舉人票,僅次于加利福尼亞州。自1996年起,獲得佛羅里達(dá)州支持的候選人最終都成了美國總統(tǒng),所以該州也被玄乎地稱為“必勝”州。在經(jīng)歷完夏季的新冠肺炎疫情高峰后,佛羅里達(dá)州的確診率及死亡率已經(jīng)漸漸減緩,企業(yè)順勢迎來了復(fù)工復(fù)業(yè)。盡管喬?拜登在當(dāng)?shù)氐闹С致视诮衲?月底有所上升,但這種經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇軌跡似乎對(duì)特朗普更加有利。不過,近期華特迪士尼、奧蘭多環(huán)球影城度假村及位于邁阿密的美國航空公司放出的裁員消息依舊為其蒙上了一層不確定的陰影。
“從現(xiàn)在來看,還是有很多選民更在乎新總統(tǒng)對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)的處理能力?!狈鹆_里達(dá)大學(xué)的政治學(xué)家奧布里?朱厄特說道,“如果選民那么想的話,特朗普會(huì)更占優(yōu)勢?!?/p>
根據(jù)路透社與益普索集團(tuán)(Ipsos)及昆尼皮亞克大學(xué)聯(lián)合開展的調(diào)查,多數(shù)佛羅里達(dá)州的居民更支持特朗普,“經(jīng)濟(jì)”依然是當(dāng)?shù)厝说氖滓剂恳蛩亍?jù)特朗普競選相關(guān)網(wǎng)頁,他于10月25日在該洲共和黨支持地區(qū)開展造勢活動(dòng),再在當(dāng)?shù)匾粋€(gè)療養(yǎng)山莊稍息片刻,最后在彭薩科拉市參加晚間集會(huì)。
佛羅里達(dá)大西洋大學(xué)的政治學(xué)教授凱文?瓦格納表示,特朗普的競選團(tuán)隊(duì)只能寄希望于近期的經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇勢頭,同時(shí)但愿當(dāng)?shù)剡x民可以無視特朗普的防疫失利,或者希望他們不要把經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退和疫情聯(lián)系起來。
“顯然共和黨人更愿意對(duì)總統(tǒng)持樂觀態(tài)度?!蓖吒窦{說道,“但民主黨人不會(huì)買賬,獨(dú)立黨人也不會(huì)買賬?!?/p>
形勢轉(zhuǎn)好
有跡象表明,佛羅里達(dá)州的經(jīng)濟(jì)正在持續(xù)回彈。
擁有49年歷史的著名景點(diǎn)——奧蘭多迪士尼“神奇王國”門前的排隊(duì)隊(duì)伍在本月初已經(jīng)長得驚人。10月2日,“小矮人礦車”項(xiàng)目的單次排隊(duì)時(shí)間再次超過70分鐘,恢復(fù)到了疫情前(150分鐘)的近半數(shù)水平。
而在疫情方面,如前文所述,雖然時(shí)有起伏,但佛羅里達(dá)州的整體情況較仲夏時(shí)節(jié)明顯轉(zhuǎn)好,周平均新增確診病例已經(jīng)由7月每日12000例的峰值水平降至3200例左右。自夏季落后拜登8個(gè)百分點(diǎn)以來,特朗普近期在民調(diào)中的支持率顯著上升。據(jù)研究機(jī)構(gòu)RealClearPolitics的調(diào)查數(shù)據(jù),拜登目前略微領(lǐng)先特朗普2.1個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。
與此同時(shí),佛羅里達(dá)州的勞動(dòng)力市場也不像今年夏天那么慘淡了。最新的聯(lián)邦數(shù)據(jù)顯示,9月的失業(yè)率從兩個(gè)月前的11.4%降至7.6%——但奧蘭多是一個(gè)明顯例外,該地區(qū)的失業(yè)率高達(dá)9.8%。
在佛羅里達(dá)州,食客們外出就餐的次數(shù)比其他地方要多——這也有助于經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇。上個(gè)月,該州的州長羅恩?德桑蒂斯為進(jìn)一步促進(jìn)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長,放開了餐館“最多同時(shí)容納的就餐人數(shù)”限制,雖然這也招致了一些批評(píng)。
根據(jù)預(yù)訂服務(wù)平臺(tái)OpenTable提供的7日平均預(yù)訂量數(shù)據(jù),現(xiàn)在,該州餐館的上座率約為同期的60%,超過了全國水平。OpenTable的數(shù)據(jù)還顯示,在坦帕地區(qū),有超過75%的食客已經(jīng)恢復(fù)了外出就餐的習(xí)慣。
勝選秘訣:老年人
競選雙方都將目標(biāo)鎖定在佛羅里達(dá)州的兩大選民群體:拉美裔和老年人。四年前,在佛羅里達(dá)州65歲以上的老年人中,特朗普的支持率領(lǐng)先希拉里?克林頓17個(gè)百分點(diǎn),并助他贏下該州。然而在本月的昆尼皮亞克民調(diào)中,是拜登在佛羅里達(dá)州的老年人中領(lǐng)先15個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。
在皮涅拉斯縣的選民登記冊上,民主黨領(lǐng)先共和黨1個(gè)百分點(diǎn)。當(dāng)?shù)氐囊晃蛔h員艾普蘿?薩諾斯對(duì)特朗普很是反感,因?yàn)樗惶崦绹?jīng)濟(jì)本來就處在長達(dá)十年的創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄式擴(kuò)張中,而是大肆吹噓前疫情時(shí)代的經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮都是自己的功勞。
“經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮不是他的功勞,而是奧巴馬留下來的。”這位現(xiàn)年71歲的民主黨人、小城格爾夫波特市的議員表示?!八麤]有為經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮提供任何幫助。與中國的貿(mào)易摩擦傷害了農(nóng)民。如果他認(rèn)為對(duì)進(jìn)口貨物征收關(guān)稅是原產(chǎn)國買單的話,那么他就是個(gè)傻子——為此付出代價(jià)的,是貿(mào)易鏈另一端的消費(fèi)者?!?/p>
特朗普為了贏得佛羅里達(dá)州的拉美裔美國人,也展開了聲勢浩大的行動(dòng):投放大量廣告宣傳在他的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)下,人們的工資水平增長、就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)增加——還在競選現(xiàn)場用西班牙語打出“Subio Los Salarios”(工資增長)的宣傳標(biāo)語。9月,對(duì)邁阿密戴德縣選民進(jìn)行的民調(diào)顯示,雖然拜登在大多數(shù)拉美裔縣中處于領(lǐng)先地位,但與四年前希拉里的領(lǐng)先率相比還差一點(diǎn)。民主黨的民意測驗(yàn)員費(fèi)爾南德?阿曼迪提醒拜登在競選活動(dòng)要注意這一結(jié)果,因?yàn)閺臍v史傳統(tǒng)來看,民主黨要在自由派占多數(shù)的南佛羅里達(dá)州提高支持率,才能夠扭轉(zhuǎn)在保守派占多數(shù)的北佛羅里達(dá)州的劣勢。
在奧蘭多郊區(qū)的奧西奧拉縣,失業(yè)率高達(dá)13.3%。在一家商場里,埃米利奧?魯伊斯經(jīng)營著一個(gè)咖啡亭,深受波多黎各老年人的歡迎——他們在里面玩多米諾骨牌。他認(rèn)為,想要重振經(jīng)濟(jì),特朗普仍然是最佳選擇,盡管自疫情爆發(fā)以來,他自己的營業(yè)額下降了45%。
“我根本不怪他,因?yàn)槲矣X得,世界上任何一個(gè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人在處理這種情況時(shí),都不可能讓每個(gè)人都如愿。”這位30歲的拉美裔共和黨地方組織副主席說?!艾F(xiàn)在,我們比以往任何時(shí)候都需要一個(gè)可以維持經(jīng)濟(jì)正常運(yùn)行的人。而在他的前三年任期中,特朗普的表現(xiàn)很出色?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
編譯:陳怡軒、陳聰聰
Florida’s economic picture has been as murky as President Donald Trump’s odds of winning the state next month, but the outlook for both is brightening.
Florida, with 29 electoral votes, has backed the presidential victor every year since 1996 and is accordingly often viewed as a “must-win” state. Coronavirus cases and deaths have been declining lately after a summer surge, leading businesses to reopen and begin rehiring. The economy’s improving trajectory looked to benefit Trump, even if former Vice President Joe Biden’s support increased in late September. Then came a rash of layoff announcements at Walt Disney Co. and Universal Orlando Resort in Central Florida and American Airlines in Miami, clouding the picture once again.
“At least some more voters are now thinking about who will be better prepared to lead an economic recovery,” said Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist at the University of Central Florida. “To the degree voters think like that, it benefits Trump.”
The economy ranks first among issues in several Florida likely voter polls, with respondents favoring Trump over Biden in polls by Reuters/Ipsos and Quinnipiac University. The president is expected to campaign today in Republican-leaning parts of the Sunshine State, stopping on October 25’s afternoon in The Villages, a large retirement community in central Florida, before an evening rally in the Panhandle city of Pensacola, according to his campaign website.
Trump's campaign has to hope that Florida's voters see the recent economic momentum and look past his handling of the virus that critics say caused the recession, said Kevin Wagner, political science professor at Florida Atlantic University.
“Republicans are much more willing to give the president the benefit of the doubt,” Wagner said. “But Democrats are less willing to do so, and a problem for the president is it appears many independents are less willing to do so.”
Long Lines
There are signs that point to a fledgling economic rebound in Florida.
Lines at the Magic Kingdom, the 49-year-old bedrock of Orlando’s economy, had grown surprisingly long by early this month. The plunging Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster required a 70-minute wait at one point on Oct. 2, although some pre-pandemic lines stretched past 150 minutes.
Florida’s struggle with coronavirus has eased since mid-summer, with new seven-day average cases dropping to around 3,200 a day from a peak of almost 12,000 daily in July, although they've rebounded some recently. Trump’s standing in the polls has risen since trailing by 8 points in midsummer. Biden still is 2.1 points ahead in RealClearPolitics’ average of state polls after pulling away slightly in recent days.
Meantime, Florida’s labor market is less bleak than it had been this summer. The jobless rate is down to 7.6% in September from 11.4% two months before, according to recent federal data. The Orlando area is a notable exception with its 9.8% unemployment.
Diners also are eating out more frequently in the Sunshine State than elsewhere, helping to propel the recovery. Governor Ron DeSantis is trying to further juice up economy while infuriating critics, by allowing restaurants last month to open without capacity restrictions.
Restaurants there are now seating about 60% of the customers they were a year ago, beating the national level, according to a seven-day average of bookings on reservation service OpenTable. More than 75% of diners have returned in the Tampa area, OpenTable data show.
Senior Vote Key
Both campaigns are heavily targeting two large voting blocs there, Hispanics and seniors. Floridians age 65 and older supported Trump over Hillary Clinton four years ago by a 17-point margin and helped him win the state. Yet, Biden had a 15-point lead among seniors in Florida in this month’s Quinnipiac poll.
In Pinellas County, where Democrats have a 1-point lead over Republicans in voter registration rolls, April Thanos bristles at Trump’s boasting about the pre-pandemic economy despite its decade-long record expansion.
“It wasn’t his economic upturn, it was left over from Obama,” said the 71-year-old Democrat, a city council member in tiny Gulfport. “He did nothing to help it. The trade stuff with China hurt the farmers. And he’s an idiot if he thinks when you put a tariff on something, it costs the originating country money. It costs the end user.”
Trump has made more headway with Florida’s Hispanics, running ads touting wage and job gains under his watch, including the campaign spot “Subio Los Salarios” or “Raised the Salaries.” A September poll of likely Miami-Dade County voters showed that, while Biden had a comfortable lead in the majority Hispanic county, it fell short of Clinton’s lead in four years ago. A Democratic pollster, Fernand Amandi, urged the Biden campaign to heed the results, because Democrats traditionally run up the score in liberal South Florida to offset weakness in conservative north Florida.
In Osceola County, a suburban Orlando community reeling with 13.3% unemployment, Emilio Ruiz owns a coffee kiosk in a mall popular with Puerto Rican seniors who come in to play dominoes. He sees Trump as the best bet to bring the economy back, even if his own sales are down 45% since the pandemic started.
“I don’t blame him at all, because I don’t think any world leader got to manage this situation the way everyone wanted to,” said Ruiz, 30, vice chairman of a local Hispanic Republican group. “Now more than ever, we need someone who can manage the economy. He did pretty well for the first three years.”