密歇根新闻广播 特朗普时代 我们都要谨慎又开放

While the Japanese use our calendar for practical purposes, they officially start a new era every time an emperor takes office. This is, for example, Heisei 29 in Japan, not 2017.

We do a version of the same thing. We talk of the "Clinton years," or the "Bush years," and even link cultural events to the reigns¹ of our presidents, none of which last more than eight years. We talk about Reagan-era fashions, for example.

Well, we're at the beginning of the Trump² era.

Eight years ago today, when President Obama was first sworn in, much of the country was jubilant and filled with hope. I don't think anyone would say that today. When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president, he told us "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Today, many Americans are deeply afraid.

Last night, a retired³ newspaper editor in northern Michigan sent me this email:

"Just wondering what my friends are doing on this last night of our democratic republic. Tip of the hat to the founders⁴. It was great while it lasted."

A woman I know is insisting that no one in her family turn any television on today. I don't remember anything like this before.

But I do remember a famous political cartoon from my youth.

The Washington Post's Herbert Block, known as Herblock, was famous as early as the 1950s for his cartoons attacking Richard Nixon, who he always showed as a sinister⁵ figure with heavy brows and five o'clock shadow, frequently shown crawling out of a sewer⁶.

But when Richard Nixon was finally elected President in 1968, after a comeback almost as implausible as this year's election, Herblock drew a barber shop with a sign taped to the wall:

"This shop gives to every new President of the United States a free shave." That didn't mean a free pass, but a clean slate⁷.

Nixon, unfortunately, would prove Herblock was right all along. But other presidents have deeply surprised us in a good way. Harry⁸ Truman, who was seen as nothing more than a pawn⁹ of a corrupt¹⁰ political machine, became one of our greatest presidents.

Nobody could have believed Ronald Reagan would form a friendship and partnership¹¹ with a Soviet¹² leader to end the Cold War, but he did.

Today, many Americans are deeply afraid.

Last night, a retired newspaper editor in northern Michigan sent me this email:

"Just wondering what my friends are doing on this last night of our democratic republic. Tip of the hat to the founders. It was great while it lasted." A woman I know is insisting that no one in her family turn any television on today. I don't remember anything like this before.

But I do remember a famous political cartoon from my youth.

The Washington Post's Herbert Block, known as Herblock, was famous as early as the 1950s for his cartoons attacking Richard Nixon, who he always showed as a sinister figure with heavy brows and five o'clock shadow, frequently shown crawling out of a sewer.

But when Richard Nixon was finally elected President in 1968, after a comeback almost as implausible as this year's election, Herblock drew a barber shop with a sign taped to the wall:

"This shop gives to every new President of the United States a free shave." That didn't mean a free pass, but a clean slate.

Nixon, unfortunately, would prove Herblock was right all along. But other presidents have deeply surprised us in a good way. Harry Truman, who was seen as nothing more than a pawn of a corrupt political machine, became one of our greatest presidents.

Nobody could have believed Ronald Reagan would form a friendship and partnership with a Soviet leader to end the Cold War, but he did.

We have to be vigilant¹³, but open minded. Those who, like my friend, are horrified¹⁴ that Donald Trump is now President, might reflect that he won despite the virtually universal opposition¹⁵ of the nation's news media.

He carried 75 of Michigan's 83 counties.

But Trump supporters need to remember that a large majority of those who voted last November – 54% – voted against him. Nobody has ever become president after losing the popular vote as decisively as he did.

Americans can emphatically change their minds, too. The first President Bush won 40 states the first time. He was crushed when he ran for reelection.

The country also turned on Jimmy Carter, who was almost as much as an outsider as Trump, and threw him out four years later.

What is certain is that we can't afford not to pay attention, and we need to be involved. We are now living in very interesting times, and we need to be a part of what happens next.

1 reigns   

n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 )；君主统治时期；任期；当政期

参考例句：

• In these valleys night reigns. 夜色笼罩着那些山谷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The Queen of Britain reigns, but she does not rule or govern. 英国女王是国家元首，但不治国事。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

5 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

6 sewer   

n.排水沟，下水道

参考例句：

• They are tearing up the street to repair a sewer. 他们正挖开马路修下水道。
• The boy kicked a stone into the sewer. 那个男孩把一石子踢进了下水道。

7 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

8 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。

9 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

10 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

11 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

12 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

13 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

14 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

15 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。