时代周刊:终审法院(4)

Democrats¹ and voting-rights activists², along with dissenting³ judges and Justices, argue that courts should make decisions that encourage enfranchisement⁴, especially during a global pandemic. Chief Justice John Roberts has staked out the middle ground, arguing that state courts can interpret state laws but that federal courts should stay above the fray⁵.

民主党人、投票权活动家以及持不同意见的法官们认为法院应该做出鼓励自由的决定，尤其是在全球大流行期间。首席大法官罗伯茨保持中立，他认为州法院可以解释州法律，但联邦法院应当置身事外。

Amid all the solomonic parsing⁶, good news may yet await Americans who are eager to see a quick, clean resolution to the presidential race. For one, the incoming litigation from the Trump⁷ and Biden campaigns may be moot⁸ if the final vote tallies⁹ aren't razor thin. Even if a court rules on a case that results in thousands of ballots¹⁰ being invalidated, it may not change the final result. "We still have votes to count," says Edward B. Foley, an electionlaw expert at Ohio State University. "It's still possible the margins¹² of victory in all the battleground states are decisive enough that it's not going to be Bush v. Gore–type litigation." It's also possible important cases may be resolved quickly at the local level. That would prevent lengthy¹³, high-profile fights at the Supreme¹⁴ Court that could tarnish¹⁵ the credibility of the election's outcome.

在所罗门式的分析中，对于那些渴望看到总统竞选迅速、清晰的解决方案的美国人来说，好消息可能还在等着他们。首先，如果最终的票数不够，来自特朗普和拜登竞选团队的诉讼可能就没有意义了。即使法院裁决一个导致数千张选票无效的案件，也不会改变最终的结果。俄亥俄州立大学的选举法专家说：“我们仍有选票需要计算。所有摇摆州的获胜优势仍可能是决定性的，这不会成为像布什诉戈尔那样的诉讼。”重要的案件也有可能在地方一级迅速得到解决。这将避免最高法院旷日持久、高调的争斗，否则可能会损害选举结果的可信度。

Even if the fight does go up to the Supreme Court, there's a clear end in sight. Under U.S. law, state electors are presumably valid¹¹ if chosen by Dec. 8, and electors meet to cast their votes on Dec. 14. On Jan. 6, the newly sworn-in Congress counts the results and the Vice¹⁶ President pronounces them official. Which means even this unusually partisan¹⁷ and unruly moment in American democracy could help underscore one still reliable truth: all the bluster¹⁸ and litigiousness in the world can't displace the rule of law.

即使这场斗争真的到了最高法院，结局也清晰可见。根据美国法律，在12月8日之前选出的州选举人应该是有效的，选举人在12月14日开会投票。1月6日，新宣誓就职的国会清点结果，副总统正式宣布结果。这意味着即便是美国民主中这种党派之争和不受控制的时刻也有助于强调一个仍旧可靠的事实：世界上不管什么咆哮和诉讼都不能取代法治。

1 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》

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 dissenting   

adj.不同意的

参考例句：

• He can't tolerate dissenting views. 他不能容纳不同意见。
• A dissenting opinion came from the aunt . 姑妈却提出不赞同的意见。

4 enfranchisement   

选举权

参考例句：

• It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. 给予全体人民以公民权将导致种族统治，这种观点是不正确的。 来自互联网

5 fray   

v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗

参考例句：

• Why should you get involved in their fray?你为什么要介入他们的争吵呢？
• Tempers began to fray in the hot weather.大热天脾气烦燥。

6 parsing   

n.分[剖]析，分解v.从语法上描述或分析（词句等）( parse的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A parsing program, or parser, is also called a recognizer. 分析过程又称作识别程序。 来自辞典例句
• This chapter describes a technique for parsing using the bottom-up method. 本章介绍一种使用自底向上方法的分析技术。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 moot   

v.提出；adj.未决议的；n.大会；辩论会

参考例句：

• The question mooted in the board meeting is still a moot point.那个在董事会上提出讨论的问题仍未决的。
• The oil versus nuclear equation is largely moot.石油和核能之间的关系还很有争议。

9 tallies   

n.账( tally的名词复数 )；符合；（计数的）签；标签v.计算，清点( tally的第三人称单数 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• Cash on hand tallies with the figure in the accounts. 现款跟账上的数目没有出入。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He tallies his own marks. 他把自己的得分记了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

12 margins   

边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数

参考例句：

• They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
• To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙，加左或者右的margins来定义链接。

13 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

14 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

15 tarnish   

n.晦暗，污点；vt.使失去光泽；玷污

参考例句：

• The affair could tarnish the reputation of the prime minister.这一事件可能有损首相的名誉。
• Stainless steel products won't tarnish.不锈钢产品不会失去光泽。

16 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

17 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

18 bluster   

v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声

参考例句：

• We could hear the bluster of the wind and rain.我们能听到狂风暴雨的吹打声。
• He was inclined to bluster at first,but he soon dropped.起初他老爱吵闹一阵，可是不久就不做声了。