VOA标准英语2013--政治危机可能伤害美国的海外形象

 

Political Crisis Could Hurt US Image Abroad 政治危机可能伤害美国的海外形象

WASHINGTON — As the U.S. political crisis and government shutdown move into a second week, there is growing concern about how the stalemate could damage the U.S. image around the world. 

华盛顿——美国政治危机和政府关闭进入第二周,日益受到关注的僵局可能会损害美国在世界各地的形像。

House Speaker John Boehner declares, “it’s time for us to just sit down and resolve our differences,” while Obama replies, "we can't make extortion routine in our democracy." The bickering¹ over the government shutdown shows no signs of letting up.

Now, another dangerous deadline looms²: October 17th, when Congress must raise the U.S. borrowing limit or put the country on a path to financial default.

Concern about the global economic impact is spreading, including in London’s financial center.  

“I think it’s a massive fear that we go into recession again, especially since we are starting to recover from the previous one,” said Oliver Elliot, a student, sounding a common sentiment.

Other observers, such as Beverly Thomas, a financial analyst³, feel the entire episode is little more than partisanship⁴ gone amok. “I think it is really about two-party politics and they are not thinking about the wider implications.”

Although the city has always had a certain amount of disagreement, the level of dysfunction in Washington today is so bad it is undermining the U.S. abroad, claims James Lindsay of the Council on Foreign Relations.

“I think it raises real questions in the mind of many foreign publics, many foreign leaders about whether the United States is a country that can be counted on,” said Lindsay.

President Barack Obama cancelled his trip to the Asia-Pacific summit in Indonesia because of the U.S. government shutdown, and sent Secretary of State John Kerry in his place.

“I want you all to know that in 2004, obviously, I worked very, very hard to replace a president.  This is not what I had in mind,” joked Kerry during his remarks, referencing his failed bid for the White House against George W. Bush.

The president’s decision to stay at home disappointed Asian leaders, noted Lindsay.

“I think it sends troubling signals in the region because Asian leaders look up and wonder is the United States going to be a stalwart ally.  Is it really going to be here in Asia for the long term or is America going to be too withdrawn⁶, too insular⁷, too focused on its own particular problems to really play a major role in the region?” wondered Lindsay.

John Fortier at the Bipartisan Policy Center says the dysfunction on display in Washington shows no signs of easing anytime soon.

“It’s now part of our polarized world to the extent that we have divided government and our parties differ a lot.  Some of this is likely to be the new normal,” claimed Fortier.

If that’s true, the rest of the world will simply make adjustments, according to Lindsay.

“We really run the risk of lurching from one fiscal⁸ crisis to another fiscal crisis.  That ends up producing a country that can’t invest in its future but it also produces a country that hardly serves as a model that will inspire others,” pointed⁵ out Lindsay, making clear the potential implication to American soft power.

The political fight may be taking place in Washington, but unless it’s resolved soon, the impact could be felt worldwide. 

1 bickering   

v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁

参考例句：

• The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。
• The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

4 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

7 insular   

adj.岛屿的，心胸狭窄的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• Having lived in one place all his life,his views are insular.他一辈子住在一个地方，所以思想狭隘。

8 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。