VOA常速英语2019--特朗普与国会的对抗实为两党的暗中角力

Congress is a check on the White House, often sparking confrontation¹ between the two.

国会的存在对白宫是一种制衡，这种制衡通常会引发两者之间的冲突。

The administration has decided² that they are not going to honor their oath of office.

特朗普政府已决定不再履行曾经的就职宣言。

A confrontation about congressional oversight³ that Democratic lawmakers say has now crossed the line into something much more serious.

国会的监管引发了一场冲突，许多民主党议员表示，这场监管现在已经逾矩，导致了更严重的情况。

We are now in it. We are now in a constitutional crisis. But the US Constitution is vague about the balance of power between the two branches of government, leaving voters wondering. There’s some kind of crisis for sure. I can’t say exactly whether it would qualify as a constitutional crisis or not.

我们现在都身置于其中，身置于一场宪法危机之中。但美国宪法没有明确界定政府两个分支的权力均衡，让选民困惑不解。当然是有某种危机存在的，但我无法准确界定这种危机是否可以称之为宪法危机。

Trump⁴ has tested the limits of presidential power before declaring a national emergency after Congress refused to pay for a US-Mexico border wall. But in a tweet he said, Democrats⁵ are the problem, a view supported by his own party.

特朗普已经检验过总统权力的上限——他在国会否决建造美墨边境墙的提案后就宣布国家进入紧急状态。但在一则推文中，他表示，民主党才是问题所在，而他的这个观点也得到了共和党的支持。

The only crisis we have is the majority of this Congress. 66 percent of American voters in a recent Quinnipiac University poll said House Democrats should not impeach⁶ the president. I think it’s much ado about nothing. I personally I think that the when whoever’s in power, squeals⁷ loudly about the other side. It came from the one side now. It’s the other.

我们唯一的危机是国会大多数席位由民主党掌控。66%的美国选民在最近昆尼皮亚克大学的一项民意调查中认为，众议院的民主党议员不应该弹劾特朗普总统。我认为这太小题大做了。我个人认为，无论哪方掌权，都会对另一方多有苛责。不是这方指责那方，就是那方指责这方。

The system of government set up by the Constitution has been challenged before when Richard Nixon resigned rather than face impeachment⁸ for high crimes and misdemeanors, and earlier, when confrontation between free and slave-owning states started the civil war.

美国宪法所设立的政府体系曾受到过质疑，当时的情况是：里根总统离任，而非受到重罪和轻罪的弹劾。还有一次是自由州和蓄奴州之间的对抗引发内战的时候。

In the case of subpoenas⁹ for the Trump administration, scholars say Congress has wide authority.

就特朗普政府面临传唤这件事而言，学者表示，国会有广泛的权力。

Congress can’t violate the Constitution in terms of forcing people to testify against their Fifth Amendment¹⁰ rights which is against self-incrimination, but in terms of the content of the material, they really do have broad power.

国会不能违反宪法的内容，因为宪法规定任何人不得强迫美国公民去提供违背《第五修正案》的证词，而《第五修正案》正是反对自证其罪的。不过，就素材的内容而言，国会有着广泛的权力。

Now, the President may assert executive privilege. This is something I predicted about five months ago when the Congress shift hands. Presidents do assert executive privilege but the Supreme¹¹ Court has indicated that it’s fairly narrow.

现在，特朗普总统可能会坚持总统特权。这种情况是我大概5个月之前就预测到的，当时国会正在换届。美国总统确实有总统特权，但最高法院也曾表示这种特权的权限很小。

The third branch of government, the judiciary, could provide clarity. The real constitutional crisis will be is if a federal judge orders that the president or people working for the President or private parties are ordered to produce the materials after a full hearing and the president orders people not to do it.

美国政府的第三个分支，即司法，可以澄清事件。真正的宪法危机是联邦法官要求总统或者公务员或者私人党派提供在充分审理后提供证词，而总统则反对此事。

A refusal that could change the minds of voters. It’s dividing our country so deeply and if some transparency could shed light on everything that’s in there and perhaps we can move forward.

这样的拒绝会改变选民的心意。这种情况正在让美国产生严重的分裂。而如果透明化能给我们一些启示的话，那么或许，我们能有所进展。

Who say they just want to see a working government.

当初不知道是谁他们唯一的希望是政府能结束停摆就行了。

1 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 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。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 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》

6 impeach   

v.弹劾；检举

参考例句：

• We must impeach the judge for taking bribes.我们一定要检举法官收受贿赂。
• The committee decided to impeach the President.委员会决定弹劾总统。

7 squeals   

n.长而尖锐的叫声( squeal的名词复数 )v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• There was an outburst of squeals from the cage. 铁笼子里传来一阵吱吱的叫声。 来自英汉文学
• There were squeals of excitement from the children. 孩子们兴奋得大声尖叫。 来自辞典例句

8 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

9 subpoenas   

n.（传唤出庭的）传票( subpoena的名词复数 )v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• My company has complied with committee subpoenas by supplying documents confirming all that I have said. 本公司按照委员会的要求，提供了能够证实我刚才发言的文件。 来自辞典例句
• Congressional Investigations: Subpoenas and Contempt Power. Report for Congress April 2, 2003. 金灿荣：《美国国会的监督功能》，载《教学与研究》2003年第2期。 来自互联网

10 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。