Getty Images股市上周的大幅下跌重新燃起了人们对美国经济将陷入二次衰退的恐惧。美国的经济增长速度已下降至接近停滞的水平，今年上半年，美国折合成年率的国内生产总值（GDP）增速已不足1%。过去两个季度，美国实际的消费支出一直在下降。就像当自行车速度急剧减慢时骑车人有可能摔倒一样，美国经济也面临着尚未开始真正意义上的复苏就再度滑入衰退的危险。标准普尔公司（Standard & Poor's）现在下调了美国的信用评级，其理由是华盛顿在解决美国的长期预算问题方面缺乏进展广州陪同口译。

The headwinds restraining the economy are many. Consumers are still over-indebted and household finances are perilously balanced. House prices, after sharp price declines, threaten to fall further. The effect has been a big hit to households' net worth and has prevented any recovery in construction activity, which normally plays a big role in the early stages of any economic expansion. The unemployment rate is stuck above 9%, and even optimistic economic forecasters see little chance of a meaningful decline, even if a tepid economic recovery resumes in the second half.

美国经济增长目前面临着许多不利因素。消费者依然负债过度，家庭财务状况严重不佳。房价虽经历了大幅下跌，却仍有进一步下挫的可能。房价跌跌不休对美国家庭的财富净值造成了巨大打击，并妨碍了建筑活动的复苏，而这种复苏在任何经济扩张的早期阶段通常都发挥着重要作用。美国的失业率已经突破9%，即使是最乐观的经济预测人士也认为，就算美国经济今年下半年恢复温和复苏势头，失业率大幅下降的可能性依然很小翻译。

Making matters worse, Europe has not really fixed its economic problems. Growth prospects there are gloomy. In the United States, government policy is dysfunctional and powerless to help reduce unemployment. While any restraint on spending from the recent budget agreement is back-end loaded, fiscal policy is scheduled to be significantly less stimulative over coming quarters. Monetary policy, which has driven short-term rates to near zero and 10-year Treasury rates to 2.5%, appears to be out of ammunition. And, of course, the sharp decline in stock prices has a negative wealth effect and a pernicious effect on consumer confidence.