VOA标准英语2008年-Congressional Democrats See Bright Prospects fo

Congressional Democrats¹ predict they will pick up additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate this November, increasing their majority in both chambers². VOA's Deborah Tate, reporting from the site of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, looks at the Democrats' prospects³ in legislative⁴ elections, and what implications a Republican or a Democratic victory in the presidential contest could have on a Democratic-led Congress.

Congressional Democrats believe their ranks will swell⁵ after November's legislative elections, thanks in large part to the unpopularity of President George Bush.

They hope to win enough seats in the Senate to overcome Republican attempts to block legislation. Currently, Democrats have a 51-seat majority in the 100-member Senate. They would need 60 seats to end debate on legislation and send it to the Senate floor for an up-or-down vote.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, says there are a number of states where the Democrats' prospects look good enough to give the party a so-called "filibuster-proof" majority.
　
Senator Charles Schumer addresses the Democratic National Convention in Denver, 27 Aug 2008

"Many are states where, for decades, Democrats have struggled. But now we have a chance to win. This is, ladies and gentlemen, a once in a generation opportunity," he said.

The Democratic National Convention has featured many of the Party's candidates whose prospects look bright in competitive races against incumbent⁶ Republicans. They included former Governors Mark Warner of Virginia and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Congressmen Mark Udall of Colorado, Tom Udall of New Mexico and Tom Allen of Maine, and Jeff Merkley, the state House Speaker in Oregon.

In a speech at the Democratic National Convention, Senator Schumer criticized Republicans in the current Congress for blocking many of the Democratic majority's initiatives. He said electing more Senate Democrats would be key to facilitating the agenda of a potential Barack Obama administration.

"We can and we must elect a stronger Democratic majority to the Senate to overcome obstructionism that threatens Barack's agenda, and with your support, we will," he added.

But political scientist Susan McManus of the University of South Florida says the same party in control of Congress and the White House does not always mean that lawmakers will automatically approve initiatives put forward by the president. In many cases, their constituents⁷' concerns take priority, even if they diverge⁸ from the president's agenda.

"When a president has strong majority in both the House and Senate, it makes it much easier for him to push his agenda through the Congress," she explained. "But on the other hand, the expectations are that he can do that, and sometimes Congress likes to wield⁹ their own power and show that they are more powerful than the president. So it is not an absolute given that just because you have a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress that it is going to be smooth sailing and that Obama would get everything through because, when all is said and done, many of these Congress members have to vote on the issue as their constituents back home would like them to vote. And that is not always lock step with the president."

If Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain is elected, having a Democratic-led Congress would complicate¹⁰ his efforts to promote his agenda.

If that is the case, Republicans could always criticize Democrats as obstructionists.

Political analyst¹¹ Stu Rothenberg expects Republicans to caution voters against consolidating¹² too much power in the hands of Democrats, putting that party in charge of both the executive and legislative branches of government. Ironically, he says, it is the same warning Democrats offered before they took control of Congress in 2006.

"Two years ago, the Democrats were saying before the 2006 elections how terrible it is when one party controls all the branches of government - that is just an invitation to abuse and to extremism," he noted¹³. "Now that the worm has turned here, you don't hear that from the Democrats. But I'm sure you'll hear it from the Republicans, saying, 'Hey, don't turn over everything in Washington, D.C. to the Democrats. The last time somebody did that it did not work well.' They won't mention that it was them."

All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be up for election in November.

 

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 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

5 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

6 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。

7 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 diverge   

v.分叉，分歧，离题，使...岔开，使转向

参考例句：

• This is where our opinions diverge from each other.这就是我们意见产生分歧之处。
• Don't diverge in your speech.发言不要离题。

9 wield   

vt.行使，运用，支配；挥，使用(武器等)

参考例句：

• They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。
• People may wield the power in a democracy.在民主国家里，人民可以行使权力。

10 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

11 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

12 consolidating   

v.（使）巩固， （使）加强( consolidate的现在分词 )；（使）合并

参考例句：

• These measures are meant for consolidating the system of basic medical care. 这些举措旨在夯实基层医疗体系，让老百姓看大病不必出远门。 来自互联网
• We are consolidating the Chinese and English versions of our homepage. 我们将为您提供中英文版本一起的主页。 来自互联网

13 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。