The key question is whether the political gridlock exposed by the debt-ceiling debate will worsen in the run-up to the 2012 presidential and congressional elections – if not beyond. That is possible, but we should not overlook cause for hope in what America’s politicians just accomplished.
关键的问题是，由债务上限争论导致的政治僵局是否会对2012年（甚至此后各届）总统和国会选举造成不良影响。这并非不可能，但我们也不应该忽视美国政客刚刚所取得的成果。