CNN 2010-03-07

let's start with Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky. Oh, boy, can you tell that he and his middle finger are not running for re-election? That's right. He is the one person standing¹ between millions of jobless Americans and their money.

He says it's about fiscal² responsibility, others say he picked the wrong time and the wrong issue to make his point.

SEN. JIM BUNNING (R), KENTUCKY: If we can't find $10 billion to pay for something that we all support, we will never pay for anything on the floor of this U.S. Senate.

SEN. HARRY³ REID (D), MAJORITY LEADER: What we need is to recognize that there are poor people all over America who are desperate today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks, Bunning, we're looking it for foreclosure.

PHILLIPS: There are so many layers to this story. We are going to try and peel them all back. Stuff to think about. Does Senator Bunning have a good point about the $10 billion package, or is he just bitter carrying out a kind of scorched⁴ earth policy after his own party didn't back his re-election bid?

Can't Democrats⁵ just work around them? Is he hurting Republicans? And most importantly, who's getting the shaft⁶? We're talking about people who need unemployment benefits to get by. Transportation workers, basically home on the couch because federal inspectors⁷ are now on furlough. But there are other projects are in limbo⁸, too, including small business loans on hold.

Of course all this might be cleared up by tomorrow night in time for Senator Bunning to watch Kentucky play basketball in Georgia. He has made it clear that he loves his Cats.

All right, let's go back to some of those layers. Here's CNN senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a package of $10 billion to extend funding for laid-off workers, road projects and more. But one senator, Kentucky's Jim Bunning, is blocking it. And he angrily refused to answer questions about why.

.... for people unemployed⁹?

BUNNING: Excuse me. I've gotta go to the floor.

Senator, can you just explain to us why you're holding this up? I'm sure you have an explanation.

BUNNING: Excuse me!

 

Are you concerned about those that are going to lose their benefits?

Guess we have our answer.

 OK.

 

BASH: Bunning's move is having a real world effect. Construction workers here started their morning on the job, rebuilding a bridge outside Washington. But as the clock ticked towards noon workers on this $36 million project were told to stop and leave. The site locked up.
 

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 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。

3 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

4 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

5 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》

6 shaft   

n.(工具的)柄，杆状物

参考例句：

• He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
• This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。

7 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 limbo   

n.地狱的边缘；监狱

参考例句：

• His life seemed stuck in limbo and he could not go forward and he could not go back.他的生活好像陷入了不知所措的境地，进退两难。
• I didn't know whether my family was alive or dead.I felt as if I was in limbo.我不知道家人是生是死，感觉自己茫然无措。

9 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。