VOA标准英语2014--美国中期选举:两党候选人互打“恐惧因素”牌

 

US Candidates Tap into Fears to Mobilize Voters 美国中期选举:两党候选人互打“恐惧因素”牌

CAPITOL HILL— 

Recent opinion surveys reflect an undercurrent of unease among American voters ahead of the November 4 congressional, state and local elections. A Gallup poll says the Ebola virus and the threat posed by Islamic State militants¹ in Iraq and Syria are among the top 10 issues Americans consider the most important facing the country.  Some Republican candidates are questioning how safe Americans are under Democratic President Barack Obama, and some Democrats² are blaming Republicans for cutting funds for public health as Ebola worries surface.

Frightening news from overseas has come home for many Americans, with the first cases of Ebola in the United States and the beheadings of three American and British aid workers and journalists by Islamic State terrorists.

 The perceived threat from Islamic State jihadists has become a campaign issue, according to Frank Newport of the Gallup Poll.

"The current military action that is taking place against the Islamic State is a factor when you remind Americans of it, that they say, ‘Hmm, that could be important.’ And some candidates at the Senate level are trying to take advantage of it, as of course politicians will do,” said Newport.

Republican supporters are using TV campaign ads to tie incumbent³ Democratic senators to President Obama and to accuse them of being weak on national security.

"While radical⁴ Islamists threaten to attack America, and millions cross our border undetected, President Obama and Senator Landrieu have done nothing,” says one ad.

Several ads from Republican-leaning groups against Democrats merge⁵ the separate issues of Islamic State terrorists and illegal immigration into one specter of gloom.

“Evil forces around the world want to harm Americans every day. Their entry into our country? Through Arizona’s backyard. Yet Ann Kirkpatrick consistently votes with her party against protecting Arizona,” one ad warns voters.

For their part, some Democratic supporters are using an Ebola ad on YouTube to try to attack Republican candidates for cutting government spending.

Asked if they are worried about Ebola, some tourists to the nation's capital told VOA they have mixed feelings.

“I’m not afraid that it’s going to become a huge thing - the disease is horrible but I am not afraid about our own medical system,” said Mary Huttar of Virginia

“I’m getting worried. I’m not scared yet -- I think we’ll get it all figured out,” said Frank Wyman of South Carolina.

Despite the scary ads, though, most Americans still say their top issues in this election are the economy, unemployment and dissatisfaction with the government.

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 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》

3 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

4 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。

5 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。