2006年VOA标准英语-Americans Vote in Tight Mid-Term Elections

By Scott Stearns
White House
07 November 2006

It is Election Day in the United States. Voters will choose all 435 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, 33 senators, and governors in 36 states.

 
Early morning voters use the electronic voting machines in Newark, Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006

Opposition¹ Democrats² hope to win control of the House for the first time in 12 years and are challenging Republican control in the U.S. Senate.

Most public opinion polls say Democrats could win the 15 additional seats they need for a majority in the House, but will have a harder time picking up six seats in the Senate with close races in the states of Tennessee, Virginia, Missouri, Montana, and Rhode Island.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken³ Mehlman says his party is closing the gap in many of the key Congressional contests, and Republican voters have a real opportunity to surprise electoral experts.

"I believe we have seen a surge over the weekend," he said.  "We have seen some real momentum⁴.  And the reason is, I think people are focusing on the choice."

In an interview with the American television network NBC, Mehlman said voters are thinking about taxes and how he says Democrats will raise those rates if they win control of the House.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told the Bloomberg news service that his party will work to bring down federal deficit⁵ spending.

 
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, right, campaigns with Lieutenant⁶ Governor candidate Matt Dunne, left, gubernatorial candidate Scudder Parker, second left, and Secretary of State Deb Markowitz in Burlington, Vermont
"Our job, if we win, will not be to set the new direction for the entire country immediately, because we will not have the presidency⁷, but we will be able to mitigate⁸ the rough edges," said Dean.  "I think you will see a real attempt to balance the budget."

This election will decide much of the final two years of the Bush Presidency.  Holding on to Republican majorities in Congress would make it easier for the president to keep U.S. troops in Iraq and make permanent record tax cuts that he says have helped the economy.

Democrats in charge of either house of Congress would have subpoena⁹ power to investigate the president's handling of the war, which a majority of Americans now say was a mistake.

Dean says Democrats believe it is time for a new direction in Iraq.

"Probably not being in Iraq would be a big improvement to our security status around the world. The problem is that you cannot get out so easily," he added.  "Now that we have created this enormous mess and there is a civil war going on, we've got to figure out how to get out carefully, but get out we need to do."

 
Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman
Mehlman says that is why voters mistrust Democrats on national security issues because he says the opposition party does not understand that leaving Iraq would make America less safe.

"Look, the terrorists have said their goal is to turn Iraq into another Afghanistan," said Mehlman.  "One of the lessons of 9/11 was how dangerous Afghanistan is.  Except, Iraq sits right in between Syria and Iran, Iraq is home to the world's second-largest oil reserves.  If we were to let them have that kind of victory, it would be a recruiting poster for jihadists all around the world."

While Congressional elections traditionally focus on local issues, Iraq has dominated much of this campaign. The latest poll by the CNN television network shows a majority of voters now believe Democrats would do a better job handling that war.

1 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。

2 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》

3 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

6 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

7 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

8 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

9 subpoena   

n.（法律）传票；v.传讯

参考例句：

• He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。
• Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。