2007年VOA标准英语-Domestic Politics Behind Showdown Over Funding

By Jim Malone
Washington
02 May 2007

President Bush and congressional Democrats¹ are expected to make a fresh attempt at compromise over funding the war in Iraq following the president's veto of an emergency war-funding bill Tuesday.  VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has more on the politics driving the Iraq debate from Washington.

The president vetoed the bill because Democrats had included in it a timeline for the withdrawal² of U.S. troops from Iraq.

President Bush, 02 May 2007

"Setting a deadline for withdrawal is setting a date for failure, and that would be irresponsible," said Mr. Bush.

Congressional Democrats said they were following through on promises made during last year's congressional election campaign to force Mr. Bush to change direction in Iraq.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California became Speaker of the House after Democrats retook control of Congress last November.

"The president wants a blank check," she said.  "The Congress is not going to give it to him."

Democrats acknowledge they do not have enough support in Congress to override³ the president's veto, setting the stage for new negotiations⁴ aimed at a compromise spending bill to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan that does not include a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals⁵.

But political analysts⁶ say the Democrats had to take a stand against the president on Iraq because of passionate⁷ anti-war feelings among party activists⁸.

New York Daily News Washington bureau chief Tom DeFrank is a frequent guest on VOA's Issues in the News program.

"It is the theory that we, the Democrats, were given power last November because the American people were sick and tired of the war, and we cannot look like, having been given a grant of power, that we are basically turning our backs on the people who told us, 'Do something about this war,'" he said.

Despite the strong anti-war feelings, Democrats remain divided about what should happen next in Iraq.  Many veteran Democratic lawmakers recall past political campaigns when Republicans accused them of being weak on national security.  They want to avoid being blamed for losing Iraq by forcing a pullout of U.S. troops that might lead to chaos⁹.

Ross Baker¹⁰ teaches political science at Rutgers University in New Jersey¹¹.

"On the one hand, they want to put pressure on the president," he noted¹².  "On the other hand, I think they are concerned that the United States does not leave Iraq in undue¹³ haste, leaving, in a sense, the patient on the operating table still open and not sewn up."

Public opinion polls continue to show widespread opposition¹⁴ to the war in Iraq and a desire to pull out most U.S. troops by next year.

But Democratic political strategist Celinda Lake says even many of those who oppose the war are worried that withdrawing from Iraq too quickly will plunge¹⁵ the country into a widespread civil war.

People want to change the direction in Iraq, but it still has to be defined for them in terms of what that change would be.  They want stability, which is a very strong word, and they want to start in a direction that is starting to get the troops out.

Republicans have been generally united behind the president in the funding battle.  But experts say that could change in the months ahead if the military situation in Iraq does not improve.

Chicago Tribune Managing Editor Jim Warren, a guest on VOA's Issues in the News, says the fight over funding the Iraq war suggests the president and Congress will get little done in the remaining months of his presidency¹⁶.

"We are in the tail end of the president's final term.  I think war or no war, this will be a very difficult time for him to get much done," he said.  "I mean, that is the history for lame-duck presidents.  And now you even have a fair number of folks in his party who care less about getting legislation passed than figuring out a way that they can succeed him at the White House."

A recent Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll found 30 percent of Republicans who plan to vote in next year's presidential primaries disapprove¹⁷ of the president's handling of Iraq, and that 41 percent want the next president to take a different approach on the war.

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 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

3 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

5 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

8 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》

9 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

10 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

11 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 undue   

adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的

参考例句：

• Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
• It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。

14 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。

15 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

16 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。

17 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。