9月14日,美國(guó)加利福尼亞州的州長(zhǎng)加文·紐瑟姆在罷免選舉中獲勝,給當(dāng)?shù)財(cái)?shù)以百萬(wàn)計(jì)質(zhì)疑其新冠疫情限制政策的小企業(yè)主沉重一擊。
在最新一輪罷免中,許多小企業(yè)主站出來(lái)反對(duì)紐瑟姆,指責(zé)他在新冠疫情之初發(fā)布的嚴(yán)格的居家政策影響了企業(yè)的運(yùn)營(yíng)。此外,這位州長(zhǎng)在去年11月居家隔離令執(zhí)行期間前往French Laundry餐廳,引起了許多人的抗議。據(jù)Yelp去年發(fā)布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,新冠疫情爆發(fā)六個(gè)月之后,加州約有4萬(wàn)家小企業(yè)關(guān)閉,在全美排在首位。眾所周知,特斯拉(Tesla)的首席執(zhí)行官埃隆·馬斯克曾經(jīng)反對(duì)加州的封鎖措施,之后于2020年搬到了得克薩斯州。
總體而言,紐瑟姆將罷免選舉中的勝利,作為執(zhí)行新冠疫情防控政策的依據(jù),他在9月14日發(fā)表的一份聲明中表示,雖然人們?cè)诹T免選舉中投下了反對(duì)票,但同時(shí)也投下了贊同票:“我們都支持科學(xué)。我們支持疫苗。我們支持結(jié)束本次疫情?!?/p>
美國(guó)全國(guó)廣播公司(NBC)9月14日的出口民調(diào)發(fā)現(xiàn),45%的受訪者認(rèn)為紐瑟姆的公共健康措施是正確的,有32%認(rèn)為這些政策過(guò)于嚴(yán)格。投票支持罷免紐瑟姆的選民,在最重要的理由上也存在分歧:他們中約有27%表示經(jīng)濟(jì)問(wèn)題是首要原因;23%表示無(wú)家可歸是主要原因;17%認(rèn)為犯罪狀況是他們支持罷免州長(zhǎng)的原因。
硅谷和好萊塢的許多名人以及民主黨領(lǐng)袖都支持紐瑟姆。例如,Netflix的首席執(zhí)行官里德·黑斯廷斯、慈善家喬治·索羅斯和Facebook首席執(zhí)行官馬克·扎克伯格的妻子普莉希拉·陳博士都支持紐瑟姆擊退罷免案。與此同時(shí),美國(guó)總統(tǒng)喬·拜登和副總統(tǒng)賀錦麗(Kamala Harris)均為這位加州州長(zhǎng)站臺(tái)。
但許多人依舊認(rèn)為紐瑟姆的政策存在問(wèn)題。政治行動(dòng)委員會(huì)拯救加州(Rescue California)的主席湯姆·戴爾·貝卡羅在9月15日對(duì)??怂剐侣?lì)l道(Fox News)說(shuō):“未來(lái)小企業(yè)會(huì)面臨什么命運(yùn)?更高的稅費(fèi)、更多街頭犯罪、更多無(wú)家可歸者。雖然加文·紐瑟姆取得了勝利,但這些問(wèn)題依舊沒(méi)有解決?!痹撐瘑T會(huì)支持罷免紐瑟姆。戴爾·貝卡羅稱(chēng),加州所面臨的問(wèn)題會(huì)對(duì)小企業(yè)造成沖擊。
目前,加州已經(jīng)取消了全州社交隔離限制,但近幾個(gè)月要求州政府員工、醫(yī)護(hù)人員、教師和學(xué)校雇員接種新冠疫苗。有人猜測(cè),在罷免選舉之后,加州會(huì)可能與舊金山和洛杉磯的部分省市一樣,要求州內(nèi)的餐廳、酒吧等企業(yè)提供新冠疫苗接種憑證。
戴爾·貝卡羅等人還就該州新成立企業(yè)的數(shù)量批評(píng)紐瑟姆。與新冠疫情之前相比,加州新企業(yè)的數(shù)量相對(duì)較低。例如,美國(guó)人口普查局(U.S. Census Bureau)的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,2019年7月,紐瑟姆上任州長(zhǎng)六個(gè)月之后,新企業(yè)申請(qǐng)數(shù)量減少了3.3%。然而,到年底,申請(qǐng)數(shù)量持續(xù)增加,在整個(gè)新冠疫情期間,雖然每個(gè)月新成立的企業(yè)數(shù)量有所波動(dòng),但總體呈現(xiàn)增加的趨勢(shì)。
紐瑟姆在新冠疫情期間采取了許多措施來(lái)幫助小企業(yè)主,包括對(duì)獲得聯(lián)邦貸款的企業(yè)延長(zhǎng)減稅優(yōu)惠,并向小企業(yè)和非營(yíng)利組織發(fā)放了數(shù)十億美元的資助。
雖然9月14日的選舉結(jié)果意味著紐瑟姆可以繼續(xù)擔(dān)任州長(zhǎng),但明年就要迎來(lái)州長(zhǎng)改選。參與罷免選舉的一些競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手,包括領(lǐng)先的共和黨候選人拉里·埃爾德,已經(jīng)摩拳擦掌準(zhǔn)備與他展開(kāi)角逐。埃爾德在9月14日承認(rèn)失敗的選舉中說(shuō):“我們要優(yōu)雅地接受失敗?;蛟S我們輸?shù)袅诉@場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)斗,但我們將贏得整場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
9月14日,美國(guó)加利福尼亞州的州長(zhǎng)加文·紐瑟姆在罷免選舉中獲勝,給當(dāng)?shù)財(cái)?shù)以百萬(wàn)計(jì)質(zhì)疑其新冠疫情限制政策的小企業(yè)主沉重一擊。
在最新一輪罷免中,許多小企業(yè)主站出來(lái)反對(duì)紐瑟姆,指責(zé)他在新冠疫情之初發(fā)布的嚴(yán)格的居家政策影響了企業(yè)的運(yùn)營(yíng)。此外,這位州長(zhǎng)在去年11月居家隔離令執(zhí)行期間前往French Laundry餐廳,引起了許多人的抗議。據(jù)Yelp去年發(fā)布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,新冠疫情爆發(fā)六個(gè)月之后,加州約有4萬(wàn)家小企業(yè)關(guān)閉,在全美排在首位。眾所周知,特斯拉(Tesla)的首席執(zhí)行官埃隆·馬斯克曾經(jīng)反對(duì)加州的封鎖措施,之后于2020年搬到了得克薩斯州。
總體而言,紐瑟姆將罷免選舉中的勝利,作為執(zhí)行新冠疫情防控政策的依據(jù),他在9月14日發(fā)表的一份聲明中表示,雖然人們?cè)诹T免選舉中投下了反對(duì)票,但同時(shí)也投下了贊同票:“我們都支持科學(xué)。我們支持疫苗。我們支持結(jié)束本次疫情?!?/p>
美國(guó)全國(guó)廣播公司(NBC)9月14日的出口民調(diào)發(fā)現(xiàn),45%的受訪者認(rèn)為紐瑟姆的公共健康措施是正確的,有32%認(rèn)為這些政策過(guò)于嚴(yán)格。投票支持罷免紐瑟姆的選民,在最重要的理由上也存在分歧:他們中約有27%表示經(jīng)濟(jì)問(wèn)題是首要原因;23%表示無(wú)家可歸是主要原因;17%認(rèn)為犯罪狀況是他們支持罷免州長(zhǎng)的原因。
硅谷和好萊塢的許多名人以及民主黨領(lǐng)袖都支持紐瑟姆。例如,Netflix的首席執(zhí)行官里德·黑斯廷斯、慈善家喬治·索羅斯和Facebook首席執(zhí)行官馬克·扎克伯格的妻子普莉希拉·陳博士都支持紐瑟姆擊退罷免案。與此同時(shí),美國(guó)總統(tǒng)喬·拜登和副總統(tǒng)賀錦麗(Kamala Harris)均為這位加州州長(zhǎng)站臺(tái)。
但許多人依舊認(rèn)為紐瑟姆的政策存在問(wèn)題。政治行動(dòng)委員會(huì)拯救加州(Rescue California)的主席湯姆·戴爾·貝卡羅在9月15日對(duì)??怂剐侣?lì)l道(Fox News)說(shuō):“未來(lái)小企業(yè)會(huì)面臨什么命運(yùn)?更高的稅費(fèi)、更多街頭犯罪、更多無(wú)家可歸者。雖然加文·紐瑟姆取得了勝利,但這些問(wèn)題依舊沒(méi)有解決?!痹撐瘑T會(huì)支持罷免紐瑟姆。戴爾·貝卡羅稱(chēng),加州所面臨的問(wèn)題會(huì)對(duì)小企業(yè)造成沖擊。
目前,加州已經(jīng)取消了全州社交隔離限制,但近幾個(gè)月要求州政府員工、醫(yī)護(hù)人員、教師和學(xué)校雇員接種新冠疫苗。有人猜測(cè),在罷免選舉之后,加州會(huì)可能與舊金山和洛杉磯的部分省市一樣,要求州內(nèi)的餐廳、酒吧等企業(yè)提供新冠疫苗接種憑證。
戴爾·貝卡羅等人還就該州新成立企業(yè)的數(shù)量批評(píng)紐瑟姆。與新冠疫情之前相比,加州新企業(yè)的數(shù)量相對(duì)較低。例如,美國(guó)人口普查局(U.S. Census Bureau)的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,2019年7月,紐瑟姆上任州長(zhǎng)六個(gè)月之后,新企業(yè)申請(qǐng)數(shù)量減少了3.3%。然而,到年底,申請(qǐng)數(shù)量持續(xù)增加,在整個(gè)新冠疫情期間,雖然每個(gè)月新成立的企業(yè)數(shù)量有所波動(dòng),但總體呈現(xiàn)增加的趨勢(shì)。
紐瑟姆在新冠疫情期間采取了許多措施來(lái)幫助小企業(yè)主,包括對(duì)獲得聯(lián)邦貸款的企業(yè)延長(zhǎng)減稅優(yōu)惠,并向小企業(yè)和非營(yíng)利組織發(fā)放了數(shù)十億美元的資助。
雖然9月14日的選舉結(jié)果意味著紐瑟姆可以繼續(xù)擔(dān)任州長(zhǎng),但明年就要迎來(lái)州長(zhǎng)改選。參與罷免選舉的一些競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手,包括領(lǐng)先的共和黨候選人拉里·埃爾德,已經(jīng)摩拳擦掌準(zhǔn)備與他展開(kāi)角逐。埃爾德在9月14日承認(rèn)失敗的選舉中說(shuō):“我們要優(yōu)雅地接受失敗。或許我們輸?shù)袅诉@場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)斗,但我們將贏得整場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
California Gov. Gavin Newsom prevailed in the state’s recall election on Tuesday, presenting a major blow to the millions of small-business owners in California who took issue with Newsom’s restrictive policies.
During the latest recall cycle, many small-business owners came out against Newsom, saying his strict stay-at-home policies issued early in the pandemic hurt their operations. Additionally, the governor’s visit to the French Laundry restaurant in the middle of these orders last November caused many to cry foul. Six months into the pandemic, almost 40,000 California small businesses closed, the highest level in any state, according to data released from Yelp last year. Tesla CEO Elon Musk famously moved to Texas in 2020 after fighting with the state over lockdown measures.
On the whole, Newsom took his victory at the polls as a mandate on his pandemic policies, noting in a statement on September 14 that while people voted no on the recall, it was a yes vote, too: “We said yes to science. We said yes to vaccines. We said yes to ending this pandemic,” Newsom said.
Exit polls conducted by NBC on September 14 found that 45% said Newsom’s public health measures were right, while 32% found the policies too strict. Those who voted to oust Newsom were split on the most important reasons to do so, with about 27% reporting the economy was the top issue; 23% saying homelessness was a top priority; and 17% pointing to crime as the reason for their vote against the governor.
Many of those in Silicon Valley and Hollywood, as well as Democratic leaders, threw their support behind Newsom. For instance, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, philanthropist George Soros, and Dr. Priscilla Chan, wife of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, all donated to help Newsom beat back the recall. Meanwhile, both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stumped for the California governor.
Yet many still see issues with Newsom’s policies. “What’s ahead for small business? Higher taxes, more crime in the streets, more homelessness—and all of that remains despite Gavin Newsom’s victory,” Tom Del Beccaro, chairman of Rescue California, a PAC in support of the recall, told Fox News on September 15. Small businesses are left with the brunt of the problems facing California, Del Beccaro said.
Currently, there are no statewide social distancing restrictions in California, but the state has implemented vaccine requirements for state employees, health care workers, teachers, and school employees in recent months. Some speculated that like San Francisco and some Los Angeles municipalities, California will move to require restaurants, bars, and other businesses statewide to require proof of vaccination in the wake of the recall vote.
Del Beccaro and others have criticized Newsom regarding the level of business formation in the state, which has been relatively low prior to the pandemic. For example, in July 2019—six months into Newsom’s term as governor, the number of new business applications declined by 3.3%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. However, by the end of the year, applications were trending up, and throughout the pandemic, new business creation has been volatile month to month, but the overall trend is on the rise.
Throughout the pandemic, Newsom has made some moves to help small-business owners, including extending tax breaks to those who received federal loans and issuing billions in grants to small businesses and nonprofits.
And while September 14’s results mean that Newsom will get to keep his position, the governor is up for reelection next year. Already, some of his opponents during this recall race, including leading Republican candidate Larry Elder, are gearing up. “Let’s be gracious in defeat,” he said on September 14 during his concession remarks. “We may have lost the battle, but we are going to win the war.”