Michael Chugani 褚简宁 - kitchen-table issues｜又中又英

Prescription drug prices in the US have soared（risen fast）over the years. A bill（proposed law）that includes issues such as climate change, taxes, and controlling prescription drug prices languished in the US Senate because it didn't have enough votes. But one senator had a change of heart recently and supported the bill. This means the bill is almost certain to pass because the House of Representatives has already approved it. The expression“prescription drugs”means medicine that can only be bought with a doctor's permission. The word“languish”has several meanings but used this way it means to fail to make progress or be successful. If you have a change of heart, it means you change your opinion about something.

After the bill received new support in the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi said the bill deserves to pass because it contains many kitchen-table issues. The expression“kitchen-table issue”is used mostly in the US. American politicians often use it when they campaign for votes during elections. The expression means issues or concerns that affect ordinary people. Rising food prices and unaffordable rents are kitchen-table issues. In Hong Kong, having to quarantine after returning from a trip is a kitchen-table issue. Kitchens in US houses and even some apartments are large. Most have a table where families eat their meals. Dining room tables are normally used during special occasions or when there are guests.

When families sit around kitchen tables during meals they normally discuss issues that affect them, like food prices. That's why they are kitchen-table issues. Politicians seeking votes often promise to help voters with kitchen-table issues. A similar expression is“bread-and-butter issues”. This expression means anything that affects people in their daily lives, such as home prices or tax rates. People in Asia normally eat rice with their meals. Ordinary people in the West normally eat bread and butter with their meals. That’s why bread-and-butter issues are issues that affect the lives of ordinary people.
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在美国，处方药物（prescription drug）的价钱多年来一直飙升（soared）。一个包含多个议题，例如气候变化、税收和管控处方药（prescription drug）价格等的议案（bill），在美国参议院因为不够票数支持而停滞不前（languished）。但一位参议员最近改变了主意（a change of heart），转而支持议案。这意味着，议案几乎可以肯定会通过，因为众议院已经通过了。习语“prescription drugs”即是只有得到医生处方授权才能购买的药物。Languish一字有几个意思，但在这里是指无法进展又或未能成事。若你有 a change of heart，意即你对某事改变主意。

在议案于参议院获得新的支持后，众议院议长南西‧佩洛西说这个议案值得获通过，因为它包含了许多「厨桌议题」（kitchen-table issues）。习语“kitchen-table issue”多在美国使用。美国政客在选举期间争取选票时，便常用到这个习语。它是指影响一般市民的民生议题或一般人会关注的事情。急升的食品价格及难以负担的房租都是kitchen-table issues。在香港，外游后回港需要接受隔离检疫便属于民生议题（kitchen-table issue）。美国房屋甚至一些单位内的厨房都很大，大部份都会有一张餐桌让一家人在那里进餐。饭厅的餐桌则通常于特别场合又或有宾客到访时使用。

当一家人围着厨桌用餐时，通常会讨论那些影响他们的议题，例如食物价格。因此这些议题便会被称为 kitchen-table issues。政客在争取选票时，便常承诺会帮助选民处理民生议题（kitchen-table issues）。

相近的习语是“bread-and-butter issues”，它的意思是任何影响人们日常生活的范畴，例如房价和税率。亚洲人主餐多会吃米饭，而西方一般人会吃面包和牛油。因此 bread-and-butter issues就是指影响一般人生活的民生议题。
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani褚简宁