評論
打印
What is to be done?
那應該怎么辦呢？
Just as American politics did not sour overnight, so the route forward is by many small steps, beginning with next week's elections.
正如美國政治不會在一夜之間惡化，前進的道路也需要很多步，最開始是下周的選舉。
And the first of those steps is for the House, at a minimum, to switch to Democratic control.
第一步至少是讓眾議院轉為民主黨控制。
This matters because Mr Trump should be subject to congressional oversight.
這很重要，因為特朗普會受到國會的約束。
He shows contempt for the norms that, to varying degrees, constrained past presidents—
他對過去在不同程度上限制總統的準則心懷蔑視——
whether by refusing to release his tax returns, mixing official and private business, or bullying officials working in, say, the justice department who should be independent.
無論是拒絕公布報稅表，還是將政府和私營企業混在一起，或是欺負在本應獨立的司法部工作的官員，都體現了這一點。
Congress should hold hearings to investigate such behaviour.
國會應舉行聽證會，調查此類行為。
But House Republicans have repeatedly failed to do this, neglecting their constitutional responsibility.
但眾議院的共和黨人一再未能做成，忽視了他們的憲法責任。
Faced with the judgment of the intelligence services that Russia intervened in the presidential election, for instance, they subpoenaed the officials overseeing the investigation so as to make their work harder.
例如，面對情報部門俄羅斯干預總統選舉的判決，他們傳喚負責調查的官員，加大了調查的難度。
Their abdication of responsibility means that a continued Republican majority in the House would eventually imperil the rule of law.
共和黨人不負責任，這意味著如果共和黨在眾議院繼續占多數，最終將危及法治。
For Democrats to win control of the House would, in the long run, benefit both parties.
從長遠來看，民主黨贏得眾議院控制權對兩黨都有利。
Defeat would encourage some Republicans to start putting forward a conservative alternative to Trumpism.
失敗會鼓勵一些共和黨人開始提出一個替代特朗普主義的保守派方案。
Defeat in the Senate, too, would turbo-charge that effort, though it looks unlikely.
參議院的失敗也會加速這一可能，盡管可能性不大。
The status quo, by contrast, would cement Mr Trump's takeover of the party.
與之相比，現狀會鞏固特朗普對共和黨的掌控。
The calculation for the Democrats rests on the danger of defeat.
民主黨因為失敗的風險不得不深思熟慮。
Even now, they are in the midst of an argument between the centre and the radical wing of the party.
即使現在，他們也在黨內的中間派和激進派之間爭論不休。
Another loss could send them careering leftward.
再次失利將會讓他們政治左傾。
If the Democrats once again won a majority of votes but ended up with only a minority of seats, the party could be tempted to build a platform on norm-busting policies, like expanding the size of the Supreme Court or impeaching justices.
民主黨如果再次贏得多數選票，卻獲得少數席位，可能會試圖建立一個打破常規政策的平臺，比如擴大最高法院的規?；驈椲来蠓ü?。
By contrast, a House takeover would embolden the party's moderates.
相比之下，接管眾議院將使民主黨的溫和派更有信心。
Nor has divided government always led to gridlock.
分裂的政府也不總是導致僵局。
Even now the president and congressional Democrats agree on some things, such as building infrastructure, confronting China and fighting the opioid epidemic.
即使是現在，特朗普和民主黨國會議員也在某些方面達成一致，例如基礎設施建設、與中國形成對峙局面以及打擊類鴉片藥物泛濫。
Let them fight over everything else, but put aside their mutual contempt in pursuit of policies for which they can both claim credit.
他們可以在其他問題上爭論不休，但拋開彼此的蔑視，還是會追求雙方都能居功的政策。
A single example might show there can be value and dignity in compromise.
單是一個例子或許就可以說明，妥協是有價值和尊嚴的。
America will not mend its politics in a single election.
美國將不會單在一次選舉中就修正其政治。
At a minimum, progress will take more votes, a renewal of the Republican Party and a different president with a different moral compass.
至少，進步需要更多的選票，需要共和黨的復興，需要一個道德指針與現在不同的總統。
But the right result next week could point the way.
但只有下周中期選舉有了正確的結果才能指明方向。
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