Politicians across the political spectrum know that such a situation would unsettle an already fragile US economy, severely weaken the dollar, and raise serious concerns about the country's ability to meet its debt-service obligations, including to the many foreign creditors that the US will need in the future. Yet, in today’s polarized environment in Washington, Republicans and Democrats are unwilling to compromise – or at least to compromise “too early.”
各党政治家们都知道这一状况将动摇早已脆弱不堪的美国经济，严重削弱美元，并引发包括美国未来仍需仰仗的国外债权人在内的市场各方对美国还债能力的高度怀疑。但在华盛顿当前极端对立的政治环境下，共和党和民主党彼此都不愿妥协——或者认为现在妥协还为时尚早。