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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Governor Rick Snyder’s been the de facto head of Michigan’s Republicans for eight years, but he won’t be at the GOP convention this weekend.
His people say it’s a scheduling conflict. I say that’s baloney. He’s making a statement. And it’s aimed squarely at Attorney General Bill Schuette: “You’re on your own.”
The AG and his folks are preparing for the snub. Schuette would be the first Republican since John Engler in 1990 to seek the governor’s job without the blessing1 of hisparty’s predecessor2.
Team Schuette figures that’s a small price to pay for doing his job investigating Snyder’s Flint Water Crisis and prosecuting3 the governor’s Health and Human Services director.
And for being, “rock solid” for President Donald Trump4. Plus, the president’s endorsement5 of Schuette might have limited value to the independents and suburban6 women Republicans need to build winning center-right coalitions7 in Michigan.
That's a big reason behind Schuette’s choice for running mate. Former state lawmaker Lisa Posthumus Lyons is a product of a prominent political family and daughter of the governor's chief of staff. Schuette needs to bolster8 support in west Michigan.
He needs to bolster support among suburban women. And he needs to persuade traditional Republicans that he's not Trumpier than Trump.
That’s not all. Schuette's continuing Flint investigation9 is now climbing into the upper reaches of the Snyder administration — and he may be potentially eyeing Snyder himself. Barring persuasive10 evidence, the mere11 prospect12 of criminal charges against the pro-business Snyder won’t engender13 anything more than tepid14 support for Schuette among business leaders.
After eight years of comparatively non-ideological governance, the race for governor isshaping up to be a clear, partisan15 choice. There’s Schuette, a traditional mid-Michigan conservative-turned-Trumper. And there’s a middle-of-the-road Democrat16, Gretchen Whitmer, struggling to energize17 both her party's leadership and its progressive base.
Whoever wins, one likely result would be the revival18 of ideology19 and partisan politicking20 in state governance. That’s exactly what the state — in better economic shape than in nearly a generation — doesn't need. That would be a sharp break from the Snyder years of tax reform bipartisan cooperation in the Detroit bankruptcy21 and a pro-business approach to policy-making.
Michigan needs more of the same from its next crop of leaders. What it doesn’t need is a return to "Lost Decade" leadership turbo-charged with partisan confrontation22 from the right or the left. Yet the chances of ending up with one version of those caricatures loom23.
Ugh.
Republican primary voters rejected Snyder’s hand-picked successor Lieutenant24 Governor Brian Calley. They rejected the pragmatic, just-get-things-done style he practiced with Snyder … so boring in the Trump era of confrontation, drama and social media posturing25.
Calley says he’ll support the ticket and unity26 with graciousness. But don’t count on tolerance27 for dissent28 under the GOP’s big tent because disagreement equals betrayal and betrayal must be punished.
That’s not the kind of graciousness Calley and his boss practiced most of the past eight years. And when it’s gone replaced again by professional politicians more than a few people will miss it.
1 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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2 predecessor | |
n.前辈,前任 | |
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3 prosecuting | |
检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 ); 对某人提起公诉; 继续从事(某事物); 担任控方律师 | |
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4 trump | |
n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭 | |
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5 endorsement | |
n.背书;赞成,认可,担保;签(注),批注 | |
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6 suburban | |
adj.城郊的,在郊区的 | |
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7 coalitions | |
结合体,同盟( coalition的名词复数 ); (两党或多党)联合政府 | |
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8 bolster | |
n.枕垫;v.支持,鼓励 | |
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9 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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10 persuasive | |
adj.有说服力的,能说得使人相信的 | |
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11 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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12 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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13 engender | |
v.产生,引起 | |
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14 tepid | |
adj.微温的,温热的,不太热心的 | |
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15 partisan | |
adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒 | |
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16 democrat | |
n.民主主义者,民主人士;民主党党员 | |
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17 energize | |
vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量 | |
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18 revival | |
n.复兴,复苏,(精力、活力等的)重振 | |
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19 ideology | |
n.意识形态,(政治或社会的)思想意识 | |
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20 politicking | |
n.政治活动,竞选活动v.从政( politic的现在分词 ) | |
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21 bankruptcy | |
n.破产;无偿付能力 | |
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22 confrontation | |
n.对抗,对峙,冲突 | |
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23 loom | |
n.织布机,织机;v.隐现,(危险、忧虑等)迫近 | |
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24 lieutenant | |
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员 | |
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25 posturing | |
做出某种姿势( posture的现在分词 ) | |
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26 unity | |
n.团结,联合,统一;和睦,协调 | |
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27 tolerance | |
n.宽容;容忍,忍受;耐药力;公差 | |
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28 dissent | |
n./v.不同意,持异议 | |
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