VOA标准英语2010年-Anti-Incumbent Winds Blowing in Advanc
时间:2019-01-13 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2010年(五)月
"The political atmosphere, obviously, has been toxic 1 and it is very clear that some of the votes that I have cast have added to the toxic environment," said Utah Senator Bob Bennett.
2010 is a congressional election year in the United States, and already there are plenty of political storm clouds on the horizon for President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress.
Recent public opinion polls tell a story of increasing voter frustration 2 with Washington that is likely to help opposition 3 Republicans and hurt Democrats 4 in November.
In the latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll, President Obama's approval rating was at 50 percent. But nearly a-third of respondents said they almost never trust the government, reflecting voter anger and frustration that will likely be taken out on incumbent 5 members of Congress in November, especially Democrats who hold majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Political climate
Democratic political strategist James Carville told ABC's Good Morning America that Democrats need to find a way to mobilize their supporters in a hurry if they are to match the intensity 6 of Republican voters in November.
"And the Democrats need a strategy to re-energize their voters," he said. "This finding is very consistent and very true with other things that I have seen."
But some Republican incumbents 7 have already run into trouble this year, thanks in large part to grassroots conservative activists 9 operating under the banner of the so-called Tea Party movement.
Utah Senator Bob Bennett was denied in his bid for a fourth term recently when Tea Party supporters turned against him at a Republican nominating convention, largely because he supported a bank bailout in 2008 put forward by then President George W. Bush.
"The political atmosphere, obviously, has been toxic and it is very clear that some of the votes that I have cast have added to the toxic environment," he said. "Looking back on them with one or two very minor 10 exceptions, I wouldn't have cast any of them any differently even if I had known at the time they were going to cost me my career."
Mike Lee is one of two Republicans who will take part in a primary in June in the race for Bennett's seat. He says Utah conservatives were looking for change.
"I think it is a signal that Utahans in particular and Americans in general are ready for a new generation of leaders, for men and women who believe that the federal government can't be all things to all people and that is has gotten too big and too expensive," he said.
Tea Party movement
Scot Faulkner is a veteran Republican activist 8 who worked in the Reagan administration and for Republicans in Congress. He says the Tea Party movement has brought new energy to the party.
"I am actually working with local Tea Party people in West Virginia and it is a lot of people who may normally vote Republican but there is a fervor 11 factor where they are far more engaged this year than in the past," he said.
The latest polls show Republicans are energized 12 about the November elections, largely because of their opposition to President Obama and concerns about government spending and the rising government debt.
Political analyst 13 John Fortier with the American Enterprise Institute has been looking at the issues that motivate the Tea Party activists. "They care about government. By overwhelming margins 14 they care about the size of government and they are worried we are doing too much, too soon. They don't like Obama's policies," he said.
Fortier says the rise of the Tea Party movement will help Republicans in November to pick up seats in the House of Representatives and in the Senate.
Georgetown University expert Stephen Wayne agrees with that assessment 15. But Wayne, like some other analysts 16, also cautions that the impact of the Tea Party movement should not be over-estimated.
"From the polls that we've seen, most of the people who are active in the Tea Party movement are conservative and Republican," he said. " So what I think it does is that the Tea Party movement preaches to the converted and I think this will keep that small Republican base very active and they will come out and vote. But I don't see the Tea Party movement adding to the Republican vote. I see it just keeping that vote very active."
The party that controls the White House historically loses congressional seats in a new president's first midterm election. That number can range from a handful of seats to 20 or 30 or more, depending on the political climate.
Many analysts compare this year's election cycle with that of 1994 when Republicans made huge gains against incumbent Democrats and took control of both houses of Congress. Republicans need a 40-seat gain in the House this year to retake control of that chamber 17, and many analysts say they are within striking distance of that goal, although they quickly add that the political environment can still change between now and November.
- The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
- There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。
- He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
- He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
- 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。
- 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》
- 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。
- I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
- The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。
- In general, incumbents have a 94 percent chance of being reelected. 通常现任官员有94%的几率会再次当选。
- This arangement yields a wonderful gain to incumbents. 这种安排为在职人员提供了意外的得益。
- He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
- He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。
- 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》
- The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
- I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
- They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
- The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。
- We are energized by love if we put our energy into loving. 如果我们付出能量去表现爱意,爱就会使我们充满活力。 来自辞典例句
- I am completely energized and feeling terrific. 我充满了活力,感觉非常好。 来自辞典例句
- 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。
- They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
- To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙,加左或者右的margins来定义链接。
- This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
- What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何?
- 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。