2015考研英语阅读英文原刊《经济学人》：奥巴马的表现

　　Critics in his own party say that the president then added a sin of commission to his sin ofomission. When the Republicans pointed that metaphorical pistol at the economy, Mr Obamacould have made a bigger ruckus about this use of extortion. But he chose instead to plungein, seduced by the chimera of a “grand bargain” with John Boehner, the Republican speaker. Inthe end, Mr Boehner left the president waiting at the altar—but not before Mr Obama’seagerness for the bargain had endowed the idea of haggling over the debt ceiling with alegitimacy it did not deserve.

　　总统所属党派的批评人士表示总统犯了疏忽罪后接着又犯了违法罪。当共和党人指着这把比喻性的枪对准经济的时候，奥巴马先生本可以掀起更大的波澜，讨论这种敲诈行为。但是他反而选择了陷入其中，受到了与共和党众议院议长约翰•博纳做成“大交易”这一不切实际的想法的引诱。最终，博纳先生让总统难堪不已——围绕债务上限问题争论不休的想法根本不合理，但是奥巴马先生对达成协议的渴望使这种想法变得合情合理，在此之前，博纳先生并没有让总统难堪。

　　A generous review of the story is that Mr Obamastaved off default while positioning himself in thecoveted centre of politics from where elections arewon. He did not get his way this time, but his callsfor the rich to share more of the burden by payinghigher taxes will resonate with voters when he seeksre-election.

　　整个事件可大致总结为奥巴马先生消除了违约问题，同时还让自己从选举获胜的地方出来进入了人人虎视眈眈的政治中心。这次他无法随心所欲，但是他呼吁富人多交税收，分担更多的负担，这一呼吁在他寻求连任时将得到选民的响应。

　　Maybe. But the public in America, and the wider watching world, saw only a mess. Meanwhileplenty of Democrats on the left grumble privately that the president’s handling of the crisis hasbeen inept, spineless—and all too typical. Having failed to take evasive action, he showed nobottom line once lured into negotiation. In the health-care negotiation, likewise, he hadwasted precious time hoping for Republican support that never came. It all fits into a pattern,they say, of a leader who shies away from necessary conflict, refuses to understand theintransigence of his enemies, would rather split differences than make a firm stand and lacksthe courage of his own convictions. Foreigners—from Vladimir Putin (who this week calledAmerica a “parasite”) to the Taliban—are in danger of drawing the same conclusion.

　　或许吧。但是美国的公众以及世界各国更广泛的观察人士只看到了一片混乱。与此同时，许多左翼的民主党人私下里抱怨总统处理危机的方式既笨拙又软弱，毫无新意。逃避行动失败后，一旦受到引诱进入谈判，他就没了底线。同样，在医疗改革的谈判中，他浪费了宝贵的时间希望共和党人支持，但是共和党人就是没有支持。这与他们所说的如下模式一模一样：领导人不愿作必要的斗争，不愿去了解对手的不妥协性，情愿选择折中方案，而不是坚定立场，没有勇气做自己认为对的事。外国人——从弗拉基米尔•普京(本周，他将美国称为了“寄生虫”)到塔利班——有得出相同的结论之虞。

　　Any assessment of Mr Obama needs to acknowledge that when he was elected he inheritedthe in-box from hell: a financial collapse, a prostrated economy, two wars. Now he faces theopposition from hell: a reckless, populist Republican Party whose moderate voices have beensilenced by ideologues and which has made throwing him out of office its foremost priority. Forthese tribulations he deserves a degree of sympathy. But Americans want their presidents tobe winners, not victims. If he expects another term, Mr Obama is going to have to raise hisgame—especially if the Republicans find that candidate.

　　对奥巴马先生的任何评价都必须承认，当他当选的时候，他继承的是一个烂摊子：金融危机、萎靡不振的经济和两场战争。现在他面对的是另一种困境：不计后果、民粹主义的共和党。空想家的声音已经掩盖了该党中温和派的声音，该党还把他赶出白宫作为重中之重。经历了这么多苦难，他值得一些同情。但是美国人希望他们的总统成为胜者，而不是受害者。如果奥巴马想连任，必须要励精图治——要是共和党人找到了候选人尤其应该如此。

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