2015年经济学人 共和党回应 乔尼戳巴里脊梁骨（在线收听）

The Republican response

When Joni poked Barry

A polite request for the president to co-operate

JONI ERNST did not flub her lines or commit any gaffes. So compared with Republican efforts of recent years, her response to Barack Obama's state-of-the-union message was a success. But the new senator from Iowa had promised, during her campaign, to make Washington squeal like a hog having its testicles removed, and platitudes rarely have that effect. Her personal stories of hardship—like using bread bags as a child to keep rain off her shoes—were aimed more at the heart than any other organ.

Like the president before her, Mrs Ernst's speech suggested little willingness to compromise. Having walloped the Democrats in the mid-term elections, Republicans feel that the president should move in their direction. Mrs Ernst called for repealing Obamacare, which Mr Obama obviously won't allow, and building the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which he probably won't.

She called for tax reform, without raising rates as Mr Obama would like. She urged the president to get on board, though her party doubts he will. Mr Obama shows “no willingness to even meet somewhere in the middle on issues that have been percolating for some time”, said Richard Burr, a senator from North Carolina.

That is not entirely true. Mr Obama and Mrs Ernst agreed on the need for trade deals with Asia and Europe. And Republicans seem likely to authorise the use of force against Islamic State, as the president asked. But on domestic issues, the gulf between the parties is as wide as ever. “What he's talking about so far he knows doesn't have any chance whatsoever of passing,” said Lamar Alexander, a senator from Tennessee. Mrs Ernst was more polite. “With a little co-operation from the president,” she said, “we can get Washington working again.”