密歇根新闻广播 共和党将目标瞄准教师退休金改革

There's a face off between Governor Rick Snyder and Republican leaders over an issue that's not even at the top of anyone's to-do list.

The state Legislature is working away on the state budget and Republicans have been cutting Snyder's budget proposal. They're squirreling away money but they haven't decided¹ what to do with it yet.

The top contender right now is teacher retirement² benefits.

"This is now my top priority and it is now the Senate majority leader's top priority," Speaker of the House Tom Leonard told reporters in Lansing. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof said, "we think there's an opportunity to solve one of the nagging³ problems of growing debt for the state and this may be one of those opportunities."

So, the two Republican leaders agree. But the question is: why this issue of teacher retirement benefits?

And, why now?

Voters certainly aren't clamoring for it. Sure, there's a segment of the GOP base that doesn't mind taking a swipe at teachers' unions. But this issue of overhauling⁵ teacher retirement really just appeals to a business-minded subset of the Republican donor⁶ class. They figure their businesses have converted to 401ks, so the state should do the same. But even that group isn't shouting, ‘do it now.'

And agreement that this is a problem that needs to be fixed⁷ is not universal. Our CPA governor certainly isn't on board. Snyder already engineered an overhaul⁴ of the teacher retirement system and a plan to pay down the debt over 30 years. This plan is Snyder's CPA masterpiece on a spreadsheet.

And we don't know yet how many Republican lawmakers are on board.

Some of them are certainly eyeballing the money that's squirrelled away - more than a quarter of a billion dollars - and thinking they'd like a better story to go home and tell their constituents⁸ than tinkering with teacher pensions. Like, possibly, money for roads and infrastructure⁹. Or some form of a tax cut or rebate¹⁰.

So, the question again: why are Speaker Leonard and Majority Leader Meekhof pushing this now?

Well, first: it's convenient. It may not be anyone's top priority but, it's on an eventual¹¹ to-do list for many Republicans.

And second, Leonard needs a win to show his leadership skills after his idea to roll back the state income tax crashed and burned in the first big House vote of the session earlier this year.

So, it's basically timing¹².

But this isn't across the finish line. This is still just at the idea stage.

Meekhof and Leonard not only have to sell the governor on their idea. They also have to convince their Republican caucuses¹³ this is the best use of their political pot of gold.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

3 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

5 overhauling   

n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• I had no chance of overhauling him. 我没有赶上他的可能。 来自辞典例句
• Some sites need little alterations but some need total overhauling. 有些网站需要做出细微修改，而有些网站就需要整体改版。 来自互联网

6 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

7 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

8 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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。

10 rebate   

v./n.折扣，回扣，退款；vt.给...回扣，给...打折扣

参考例句：

• You can claim a rebate on your tax.你可以要求退回部分税款。
• Customers are to benefit from a rebate on their electricity bills.顾客将从他们的电费退费中得到实惠。

11 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

12 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

13 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网