经济学人:美国中期选举(3)

 What is to be done? 那应该怎么办呢？

Just as American politics did not sour overnight, so the route forward is by many small steps, beginning with next week's elections. 正如美国政治不会在一夜之间恶化，前进的道路也需要很多步，最开始是下周的选举。

And the first of those steps is for the House, at a minimum, to switch to Democratic control. 第一步至少是让众议院转为民主党控制。

This matters because Mr Trump¹ should be subject to congressional oversight². 这很重要，因为特朗普会受到国会的约束。

He shows contempt for the norms that, to varying degrees, constrained³ past presidents— 他对过去在不同程度上限制总统的准则心怀蔑视——

whether by refusing to release his tax returns, mixing official and private business, or bullying⁴ officials working in, say, the justice department who should be independent. 无论是拒绝公布报税表，还是将政府和私营企业混在一起，或是欺负在本应独立的司法部工作的官员，都体现了这一点。

Congress should hold hearings to investigate such behaviour. 国会应举行听证会，调查此类行为。

But House Republicans have repeatedly failed to do this, neglecting their constitutional responsibility. 但众议院的共和党人一再未能做成，忽视了他们的宪法责任。

Faced with the judgment⁵ of the intelligence services that Russia intervened in the presidential election, for instance, they subpoenaed⁶ the officials overseeing the investigation⁷ so as to make their work harder. 例如，面对情报部门俄罗斯干预总统选举的判决，他们传唤负责调查的官员，加大了调查的难度。

Their abdication⁸ of responsibility means that a continued Republican majority in the House would eventually imperil the rule of law. 共和党人不负责任，这意味着如果共和党在众议院继续占多数，最终将危及法治。

For Democrats⁹ to win control of the House would, in the long run, benefit both parties. 从长远来看，民主党赢得众议院控制权对两党都有利。

Defeat would encourage some Republicans to start putting forward a conservative alternative to Trumpism. 失败会鼓励一些共和党人开始提出一个替代特朗普主义的保守派方案。

Defeat in the Senate, too, would turbo-charge that effort, though it looks unlikely. 参议院的失败也会加速这一可能，尽管可能性不大。

The status quo, by contrast, would cement Mr Trump's takeover of the party. 与之相比，现状会巩固特朗普对共和党的掌控。

The calculation for the Democrats rests on the danger of defeat. 民主党因为失败的风险不得不深思熟虑。

Even now, they are in the midst of an argument between the centre and the radical¹⁰ wing of the party. 即使现在，他们也在党内的中间派和激进派之间争论不休。

Another loss could send them careering leftward. 再次失利将会让他们政治左倾。

If the Democrats once again won a majority of votes but ended up with only a minority of seats, the party could be tempted¹¹ to build a platform on norm-busting policies, like expanding the size of the Supreme¹² Court or impeaching¹³ justices. 民主党如果再次赢得多数选票，却获得少数席位，可能会试图建立一个打破常规政策的平台，比如扩大最高法院的规模或弹劾大法官。

By contrast, a House takeover would embolden¹⁴ the party's moderates. 相比之下，接管众议院将使民主党的温和派更有信心。

Nor has divided government always led to gridlock. 分裂的政府也不总是导致僵局。

Even now the president and congressional Democrats agree on some things, such as building infrastructure¹⁵, confronting China and fighting the opioid epidemic¹⁶. 即使是现在，特朗普和民主党国会议员也在某些方面达成一致，例如基础设施建设、与中国形成对峙局面以及打击类鸦片药物泛滥。

Let them fight over everything else, but put aside their mutual¹⁷ contempt in pursuit of policies for which they can both claim credit. 他们可以在其他问题上争论不休，但抛开彼此的蔑视，还是会追求双方都能居功的政策。

A single example might show there can be value and dignity in compromise. 单是一个例子或许就可以说明，妥协是有价值和尊严的。

America will not mend its politics in a single election. 美国将不会单在一次选举中就修正其政治。

At a minimum, progress will take more votes, a renewal¹⁸ of the Republican Party and a different president with a different moral compass. 至少，进步需要更多的选票，需要共和党的复兴，需要一个道德指针与现在不同的总统。

But the right result next week could point the way. 但只有下周中期选举有了正确的结果才能指明方向。

 

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

3 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

4 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

6 subpoenaed   

v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court subpoenaed her to appear as a witness. 法庭传唤她出庭作证。
• The finance director is subpoenaed by prosecution. 财务经理被检查机关传讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 abdication   

n.辞职；退位

参考例句：

• The officers took over and forced his abdication in 1947.1947年军官们接管了政权并迫使他退了位。
• Abdication is precluded by the lack of a possible successor.因为没有可能的继承人，让位无法实现。

9 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》

10 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

11 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

12 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

13 impeaching   

v.控告（某人）犯罪( impeach的现在分词 )；弹劾；对（某事物）怀疑；提出异议

参考例句：

14 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

15 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

16 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

17 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

18 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。