VOA标准英语2013--政府关门后聚焦议长约翰·博纳

 

In Shutdown, House Speaker is Man in the Middle 政府关门后聚焦议长约翰·博纳

As the partial shutdown of the U.S. government pushes into its second week, the spotlight¹ continues to find itself focused on House Speaker John Boehner.  The leading voice of Republicans in the House of Representatives, it has been his job to engineer a political victory for his party on health care and the budget.

House Speaker John Boehner has been angry...

"This isn't some damn game..."

He's been conciliatory.

"I'm not drawing any lines in the sand.  It's time for us to just sit down and resolve our differences," said Boehner.

And at times, even after a meeting at the White House with fellow Republicans, he's been a man alone, caught between party colleagues demanding a hard line on the president's health care plan...

"A one-year delay of that tax is more than fair given how poor the roll-out of Obamacare has been," said Cantor.

...and other members of his party who think forcing a government shutdown was the wrong way to go.

Reporter: "Sir, is this strategy working for the Republicans?

Republican Pete King: "It depends on how you look at it. Not from my perspective."

The political divide is deep, with a group of about 80 Republican representatives insisting on nothing less than the repeal² of the new U.S. health insurance program known as "Obamacare."  It's something rival Democrats³ and President Barack Obama have flatly ruled out.

Many of the same Republican lawmakers are also drawing a hard line on the country's debt, saying they will not raise the debt limit by the October 17 deadline, putting the U.S. at risk of a default.

And as the shutdown drags on, John Fortier at the Bipartisan Policy Center says it's the hardliners who still seem to be driving the debate.  

“They certainly have forced the speaker’s hand to make sure this is not a light confrontation⁴, that we have a big airing of the differences," said Fortier.

That approach has played well with the voters in communities which elected the hard-liners in the first place.  Steve Billet, with the legislative⁵ affairs program at George Washington University, says that leaves Boehner with little leverage⁶.

“No one in the Republican party in the House of Representatives fears John Boehner.  They are not going to do anything - vote with him, in response to his requests - because there’s nothing he can do to them," said Billet.

In the meantime, with every day that goes by there is also more heat ((criticism)) from President Barack Obama.

"Talks, negotiations⁷ shouldn't require hanging the threats of a government shutdown or economic chaos⁸ over the heads of the American people," said President Obama.

Jennifer Duffy at the Cook Political Report says someone is going to have to flinch⁹.

“It makes it very hard to cut a deal when nobody’s at the table," said Duffy.

"All we're asking for is to sit down and have this conversation," said Boehner.

The latest plea in a political confrontation that has official Washington still going nowhere.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

3 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》

4 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。

5 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。

6 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

7 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。

8 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。

9 flinch   

v.畏缩，退缩

参考例句：

• She won't flinch from speaking her mind.她不会讳言自己的想法。
• We will never flinch from difficulties.我们面对困难决不退缩。