VOA标准英语2013--'Fiscal Cliff' Deal Highlights Messy US Democracy in Action

 

'Fiscal¹ Cliff' Deal Highlights Messy US Democracy in Action

Many visitors to the U.S. Capitol, like David Stark² from the state of nearby Maryland, come to admire this monument to democracy but express frustration³ with the political polarization inside its halls.

“You know, I wish there was more of a centrist faction⁴ that people were willing to kind of buck⁵ their party leaders and be together,” said Stark.

While Congress and President Barack Obama were able to reach a deal to avert⁶ the “fiscal cliff” deadline - which would have imposed drastic spending cuts and steep tax increases - the process highlighted politicians' inability to work together.

Negotiations⁷ broke down between Obama, a Democrat⁸, and the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner. Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate also failed to agree.

Congressional scholar Thomas Mann, with The Brookings Institution, said the gridlock is partly a structural⁹ problem caused by divisive party politics that often blocks cooperation between the branches of government.

“Our political parties, which were never anticipated by the framers and built into the constitution, have evolved in a way that they don’t fit well with our governing system,” said Mann.

In the end, it was the personal relationship between Vice¹⁰ President Joe Biden, a former senator, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that overcame the deep divide. And the bill that passed during a special session of Congress on New Year’s Day only postponed¹¹ dealing¹² with the growing federal deficit¹³. Still, Mann said it was a significant bipartisan achievement.

“In the end they managed to avoid the cliff, reach an agreement that had broad support in the Senate, and the speaker allowed a bill to go to the floor that a majority of Republicans opposed. So that was a good thing,” said Mann.

Allan Lichtman, a professor of history at American University, is concerned that future budget battles will overwhelmingly dominate the new legislative¹⁴ session.

“While we are worried about whether we increase taxes on millionaires from 35 percent to 39 percent, a few points here and there, all of the huge problems that are facing this country are being entirely¹⁵ neglected,” said Lichtman.

Lichtman said that as Congress draws out the budget debate, it is less likely to deal with more important issues like disaster relief and reducing the effects of climate change. 

1 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

2 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

3 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

4 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

5 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

6 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

9 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

10 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

11 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

12 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

13 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

14 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

15 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。