VOA标准英语10月-Republicans Face Possibility of Big Losses in US

Republicans face the prospect¹ of significant losses in the House of Representatives during next month U.S. election. Most analysts² see Republicans losing at least 20 House seats, but some predictions put potential losses at 30 or more in the 435-seat House. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, while Americans have generally negative views of Congress, Democrats⁴ have taken advantage of a general trend of dissatisfaction.
　

Man votes early in Norwalk, California, 06 Oct. 2008

MARGIN⁸-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px">Although a number of issues will be on the minds of Americans when they go to the polls on November 4, the most dominant⁵ is the global financial crisis which most analysts agree is pushing voters toward making major changes in Washington, and Republican candidates are vulnerable across the country.

Currently, Democrats hold a 235 to 199 advantage in the 435-member House, with one seat vacant. Though Republican leaders have tried to maintain an optimistic public face, there were some early negative signs in 2008.

Early in the year, three key state districts held by Republicans for decades shifted to Democrats in special elections seen as important early indicators⁶.

Among them was the seat held by former Republican House speaker Dennis Hastert, where a Democratic candidate benefited from fundraising and an endorsement⁷ by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. In the southern states of Louisiana and Mississippi, two key seats also fell to Democrats.

At the same time, since the 2006 mid-term election, Republicans leaving Congress, either retiring or running for higher office, outnumber Democratic departures by a margin of 29 to six.

Debates in House races reflect concerns about the economy and the recent government rescue plan for the financial markets.

Democrats and Republicans contrast what they would do in Washington if elected, but also reflect a lot of common ground on the financial mess.

In Ohio's 15th district, which narrowly went Republican in 2006, Democrat³ Mary Jo Kilroy faces Republican Steve Stivers.

"We need to move in quickly to eliminate and put more oversight⁹ and more regulation so the risky¹⁰ behaviors on Wall Street and [in] the banking¹¹ industry that brought us to this crisis, come to an end," says Kilroy.

"We need to make sure that what they are going to do is going to work," Stivers says. "We need to make sure that it is going to be a smart investment and that the taxpayers¹² aren't going to be left holding the bag for Wall Street."

In Colorado, where opinion polls show Barack Obama has opened a significant lead over John McCain, the House contest between Republican House incumbent¹³ Marlyn Musgrave and Democrat Betsey Markey featured this exchange about energy policy.

"My opponent has voted against every piece of renewable energy legislation that has come before the Congress in the past four years," says Markey.

"I will always vote against a bill if it has pork [extraneous spending] in it, and a tax increase and those are the reasons for my no votes on those bills," Musgrave says.

In addition to the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have also worked against Republicans, who are also weighed down by President Bush's poor public approval ratings.

Democrats are out-spending Republicans in House races by almost four to one, with Republican congressional campaign managers forced to make tough choices on where to direct funds.

An internal Republican party document recently reported by U.S. News & World Report, and the multimedia¹⁴ political news organization Politico, described 58 Republican House seats as being at some level of risk, with as many as 34 seats in serious danger of shifting to Democrats.

Among interesting shifts, Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann's chances for re-election were damaged by controversy¹⁵ that followed her call for investigations¹⁶ of members of Congress that she suggested had anti-American views.

Democrats are not without their problems. In Florida, a Democrat Tim Mahoney's chances of winning a key Republican seat are threatened by a personal scandal, while Democrats faced tough races in some key states, such as Pennsylvania.

While Democrats could sharply increase their majority in the House, the picture in the 100 member Senate is less hopeful, where Republicans may still maintain enough seats to block legislation.

　

1 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

2 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。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 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》

5 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

6 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

7 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

8 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

9 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

10 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

11 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

12 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

13 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

14 multimedia   

adj.多种手段的，多媒体的；n.多媒体

参考例句：

• Multimedia is the combination of computer and video technology.多媒体是计算机和视频技术的结合。
• Adam raised the issue of multimedia applications and much useful discussion ensued.亚当提出了多媒体应用的问题，从而引发了许多有益的讨论。

15 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

16 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。