美国国家公共电台 NPR--How local and national leaders are tested by major natural disasters

How local and national leaders are tested by major natural disasters

Transcript¹

The remnants of Hurricane Ian will continue to be felt this weekend and in coming days up and down the East Coast. These storms, which happen every year and have been made worse by climate change, are testing politicians and local leaders.

They will continue to be major trials, showing whether government can work at its most basic functions – keeping people safe and helping² them recover when they aren't.

"In some ways, these events cut through a lot of the silliness of politics and get to the seriousness of politics – making sure that a state's resources are at the ready to deal with an event that threatens the lives and livelihoods⁴ of its citizens," said Andrew Reeves, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis and director of the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy, where he studies, among other things, storm politics.

"This is politics, so I think it's the right time to talk about these things."

Storms and natural disasters have always presented challenges for presidents and local leaders. If handled well, they can cement their images as leaders of their communities, looking competent and trusted to help constituents⁵ get what they need. If mishandled, they can be major albatrosses that mar⁶ their legacies⁷.

This storm comes just weeks before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, someone believed to have presidential aspirations⁸, stands for reelection. So the stakes for the people of Florida – and DeSantis – couldn't be higher.

It can be impossible to judge how a leader is handling a storm in its immediate⁹ aftermath. That judgment¹⁰ really comes with the answers to key questions facing any recovery: How quick and efficient are rescue efforts? When does power get restored? Are people able to get food and clean water? When are roads repaired and bridges reconnected? When are people able to get back into their homes? When can communities rebuild? And where does the money come from?

"These are often sort of pop quizzes in leadership," Reeves said. "This particular pop quiz happens to be close to a midterm election. Voters tend to have short-term memories. So, you know, even something that happens six months or a year out doesn't have a tremendous amount of staying power. But we're in October here. And so this event is going to be different."

Billion-dollar disasters are on the rise

The number of disasters costing $1 billion or more have increased substantially since 1980, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric¹¹ Administration, which tracks these events.

"Climate science is increasingly able to show that many of the extreme weather events that we are experiencing have become more likely and more intense due to human-induced climate change," Petteri Taalas, head of the World Meteorological Organization, said this week. "We have seen this repeatedly this year, with tragic¹² effect. It is more important than ever that we scale up action on early warning systems to build resilience to current and future climate risks in vulnerable communities."

DeSantis has tried to walk a line between the MAGA base and the reality of the politics of disaster relief in Florida. He said during his gubernatorial campaign that he doesn't want to be labeled a "global warming person," for example. He also appointed a "resilience" officer and took some other steps that environmentalists liked.

But it's one thing to acknowledge climate change is real and try to save for disaster relief; it's another to take steps to curb¹³ the long-term effects of climate change, something he hasn't done.

The approach is complicated by what people say they want. Although there have been an increasing number of wildfires and floods that have wreaked¹⁴ havoc¹⁵ on communities across the country, and despite the evidence that climate change will only increase these events, people say they would rather rebuild than relocate.

Two-thirds of respondents to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll last year said they'd rather rebuild in the area they currently live rather than move. Politicians are going to respond to that kind of sentiment. That's going to mean new building guidelines, perhaps increased insurance regulations – and money, lots of it.

Money and strange bedfellows

That money for disaster relief is going to come from the local and federal governments, and that means elected officials have to work together, even ones who don't like each other very much.

After the storm hit, DeSantis touted¹⁶ his conservative fiscal¹⁷ policies.

"We have the largest budget surplus we've ever had, and we've worked very hard, of course, to keep the economy open and make this a state people wanted to be in,'' he said. "And so we were seeing historic reserves, even as we've continued to break records with the revenue coming in — with no income tax and low taxes."

But he also acknowledged he would need the federal government's help. That's meant something of a détente between DeSantis and President Biden, who couldn't have more different policy outlooks.

"It's my sense that the administration wants to help," DeSantis said on Fox News this week.

It's quite the turnabout from when DeSantis was in Congress and voted against funding for Superstorm Sandy victims in 2013.

"This 'put it on the credit card mentality¹⁸' is part of the reason we find ourselves nearly $17 trillion in debt," DeSantis said then.

Aside from local politics at play, this was the era of the Tea Party, which helped Republicans win the House in 2010. Their message, in great measure, was about the federal debt. Often during the Obama administration, many House Republicans voted against things that had traditionally had bipartisan support, like raising the debt ceiling and disaster relief funding.

In 2018, DeSantis voted in favor of emergency funding in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, which affected¹⁹ Puerto Rico, Texas, and, notably²⁰, Florida.

Biden this week said he had spoken with DeSantis multiple times. When asked if he and DeSantis would meet when Biden heads to Florida, the president said, "I'll meet with anybody who's around. The answer is: Yes, if he wants to meet."

DeSantis has routinely made criticism of Biden a staple²¹ of his reelection campaign, fueling speculation²² about a potential presidential run. But, for now, in light of the devastation²³ in his state, DeSantis has tabled that kind of talk.

"When people are fighting for their lives," DeSantis said on Fox, "when their whole livelihood³ is at stake, when they've lost everything, if you can't put politics aside for that, then you're just not going to be able to. So, I'll work with anybody who wants to help the people of Southwest Florida and throughout our state."

Emergencies have often produced some otherwise unexpected relationships — and interactions — with political foes²⁴

It happened at least twice during former President Obama's administration, for example.

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is now a Democrat²⁵ running against DeSantis. But in 2009, he was a Republican governor of the state. As the state was reeling from the economic collapse²⁶ and seeking economic relief funds, Crist introduced Obama, and they briefly²⁷ hugged on stage.

That hug was used in ads against him, and played a big part in derailing Crist's Republican political career.

Then-Republican New Jersey²⁸ Gov. Chris Christie was a sharp Obama critic, but then worked with Obama to secure Sandy funding. Christie faced lots of conservative criticism for his embrace of Obama and arguably hurt his presidential ambitions.

In April 2020, a different New Jersey governor, Democrat Phil Murphy, who had been critical of Trump²⁹, went to the White House to lobby President Trump for coronavirus relief help. In June, after the two had dinner together, Trump announced he had authorized³⁰ funding for a long-stalled New Jersey infrastructure³¹ project. It was a "reward" for Murphy's attendance at the dinner, according to the book, This Will Not Pass, by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns.

"This is politics where people have to work together," Reeves said. "And part of that working together involves the federal response coordinated³² with the state response. It involves governors calling up presidents and asking them to declare disaster declarations so that federal dollars can flow into those states. And, you know, that creates some awkward photo ops."

Certainly, all eyes will be on Biden and DeSantis when the political foes – and potentially political rivals – do finally meet, even as both acknowledge the need for comity³³ now.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

4 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

5 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》

6 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

7 legacies   

n.遗产( legacy的名词复数 )；遗留之物；遗留问题；后遗症

参考例句：

• Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind. 书是伟大的天才留给人类的精神财富。 来自辞典例句
• General legacies are subject to the same principles as demonstrative legacies. 一般的遗赠要与指定数目的遗赠遵循同样的原则。 来自辞典例句

8 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

9 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

10 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。

11 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

12 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

13 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

14 wreaked   

诉诸（武力），施行（暴力），发（脾气）( wreak的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city. 地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• They have wreaked dreadful havoc among the wildlife by shooting and trapping. 他们射杀和诱捕野生动物，造成了严重的破坏。

15 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

16 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

17 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。

18 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

19 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

20 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

21 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

22 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

23 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

25 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。

26 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

27 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

28 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

29 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。

30 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

31 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。

32 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

33 comity   

n.礼让，礼仪；团结，联合

参考例句：

• Sometimes comity is regarded as a stimulus to the pattern of behaviour.礼让有时被视作行为模式的一个促进因素。
• The basic feature of positive comity is its voluntariness.积极礼让的基本特征是它的自愿性。