经济学人:共和党回应 乔尼戳巴里脊梁骨

 　　The Republican response

　　共和党回应

　　When Joni poked¹ Barry

　　乔尼戳巴里脊梁骨

　　A polite request for the president to co-operate

　　客气要求总统合作

　　JONI ERNST did not flub her lines or commit any gaffes². So compared with Republican efforts of recent years, her response to Barack Obama's state-of-the-union message was a success. But the new senator from Iowa had promised, during her campaign, to make Washington squeal³ like a hog⁴ having its testicles removed, and platitudes⁵ rarely have that effect. Her personal stories of hardship—like using bread bags as a child to keep rain off her shoes—were aimed more at the heart than any other organ.

　　琼妮厄恩斯特没有站错阵营也没哗众取宠。与近几年来共和党的表现相比，她对奥巴马国情咨文的回复真是一大创举，这位来自爱荷华州的新议员许诺她的竞选将让白宫饱尝撕心裂肺的苦头，而这绝不是说说而已，她的个人经历就充满着艰难困苦，比如童年时代曾用面包袋挡鞋子上的雨水，而这比任何东西都能打动人心。

　　奥巴马总统 可可英语.jpg

　　Like the president before her, Mrs Ernst's speech suggested little willingness to compromise. Having walloped the Democrats⁶ in the mid-term elections, Republicans feel that the president should move in their direction. Mrs Ernst called for repealing⁷ Obamacare, which Mr Obama obviously won't allow, and building the Keystone XL oil pipeline⁸, which he probably won't.

　　和奥巴马一样，厄恩斯的言辞也是斩钉截铁的语气，在中期选举一举击垮民主党之后，共和党人只觉得牵着总统鼻子走也是理所应当，厄恩斯呼吁撤销奥巴马医改建设基石管道，前者没有商量的余地，而后者可能还有一线生机。

　　She called for tax reform, without raising rates as Mr Obama would like. She urged the president to get on board, though her party doubts he will. Mr Obama shows “no willingness to even meet somewhere in the middle on issues that have been percolating⁹ for some time”, said Richard Burr, a senator from North Carolina.

　　她呼吁税务改革，拒绝顺着奥巴马的意愿提高税率，并要求奥巴马回到谈判桌前，但对此她也不抱什么希望，“奥巴马也没有任何在这个已僵持过得问题上折衷”北卡罗来纳州议员理查德说。

　　That is not entirely¹⁰ true. Mr Obama and Mrs Ernst agreed on the need for trade deals with Asia and Europe. And Republicans seem likely to authorise the use of force against Islamic State, as the president asked. But on domestic issues, the gulf¹¹ between the parties is as wide as ever. “What he's talking about so far he knows doesn't have any chance whatsoever¹² of passing,” said Lamar Alexander, a senator from Tennessee. Mrs Ernst was more polite. “With a little co-operation from the president,” she said, “we can get Washington working again.”

　　这也不是完全正确，奥巴马和厄恩斯在对亚洲和欧洲的贸易协定上达成了一致，共和党似乎也如总统所愿同意授权出兵打击伊斯兰国势力，但双方在国内问题上争执不下，田纳西亚议员亚历山大说，他所说的那些他自己都知道不可能通过，厄恩斯更为客套，她说，只要总统有一点合作的意向，我们就能让华盛顿运作起来。

1 poked   

v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交

参考例句：

• She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
• His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 gaffes   

n.失礼，出丑( gaffe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The presidential candidate made three mistakes, or gaffes, during his speech. 校长候选人在演讲中出了三次错，或失态。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• When the microphones were on, gaffes gushed from his lips. 而当电话响起，他却口无遮拦，屡屡失言。 来自互联网

3 squeal   

v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音

参考例句：

• The children gave a squeal of fright.孩子们发出惊吓的尖叫声。
• There was a squeal of brakes as the car suddenly stopped.小汽车突然停下来时，车闸发出尖叫声。

4 hog   

n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占

参考例句：

• He is greedy like a hog.他像猪一样贪婪。
• Drivers who hog the road leave no room for other cars.那些占着路面的驾驶员一点余地都不留给其他车辆。

5 platitudes   

n.平常的话，老生常谈，陈词滥调( platitude的名词复数 )；滥套子

参考例句：

• He was mouthing the usual platitudes about the need for more compassion. 他言不由衷地说了些需要更加同情之类的陈腔滥调。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He delivered a long prose full of platitudes. 他发表了一篇充满陈词滥调的文章。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 repealing   

撤销，废除( repeal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• In addition, repealing the alternative minimum tax would also help. 此外，废除替代性最低税也会有所帮助。
• Repealing the investment tax credit. 取消投资税款扣除。

8 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

9 percolating   

n.渗透v.滤( percolate的现在分词 )；渗透；（思想等）渗透；渗入

参考例句：

• Bubbles simply supply a short cut for the faster-moving percolating gas. 气泡不过是对快速运动的渗透气体提供了一条捷径。 来自辞典例句
• I' ll percolate some coffee, ie make it by percolating. 我去用过滤法煮些咖啡。 来自辞典例句

10 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

11 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

12 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。