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美国最高法院政治化
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最高法院一份将会推翻罗伊诉韦德案的意见草案遭到泄露后，许多美国民众开始质疑大法官（进行裁决）是否依据法律而非他们的政治信仰。
双语精读
The revelation of a Supreme Court draft opinion that would overrule Roe v. Wade has caused many Americans to express doubts about whether the justices are guided by the law rather than by their political beliefs.
最高法院一份将会推翻罗伊诉韦德案的意见草案遭到泄露后，许多美国民众开始质疑大法官（进行裁决）是否依据法律而非他们的政治信仰。
In interviews across the country, even some opponents of abortion expressed unease with the way that a majority of the court had coalesced behind the sweeping draft written by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. that would undo nearly 50 years of legalized access to abortion nationwide.
在全国各地的采访中，就连一些反堕胎人士也对法院大多数人支持大法官小塞缪尔·阿利托所撰写的多数意见草案表示不安，该草案将取消全国范围内已经实施近50年的堕胎合法化。
Rebekah Merkle, an author and mother of five in Moscow, Idaho, said she thought that Supreme Court justices would be "vindicated as the heroes" if they struck down Roe v. Wade.
丽贝卡·默克尔是爱达荷州莫斯科市的作家，同时也是五个孩子的母亲。她认为，如果最高法院的法官们推翻罗伊诉韦德案，他们将“被证明是英雄”。
But although she approves of the composition of the court, she does not dispute that it finds itself deeply enmeshed in politics. "It certainly seems more politicized to me than it used to be," Mrs. Merkle said.
不过，尽管她赞同最高法院的草案，她并不否认最高法院深陷政治泥潭。“在我看来，它肯定比过去更政治化了，”默克尔表示。
"And part of it is because politics have gotten so ugly recently. And that seems to have definitely impacted the court, as well."
“部分原因是最近政治变得如此丑陋，看起来肯定也对法院也造成了影响。”
Jenny Doyle, a neonatal nurse practitioner and mother of two in Boulder, Colo., was so distressed by the Roe news that she considered whether she should leave the country: "I think Iceland sounds good," she said. But she was on the same page as Mrs. Merkle in seeing the court as an increasingly political actor.
科罗拉多州博尔德市的新生儿护士、两个孩子的母亲珍妮·道尔对罗伊案的消息感到非常难过，她考虑是否应该离开这个国家：“我觉得冰岛听起来不错，”她说。但她和默克尔一致认为，最高法院越来越具有政治色彩了。
"I absolutely believe in a term limit on the Supreme Court," she said, of justices who can choose to serve until they die. "They are losing touch with the real America and the real issues of Americans."
“我绝对相信最高法院应该有任期限制，”她所指的是那些可以选择任职直至去世的大法官。“他们已经脱离真实的美国和美国人所面临的真正问题了。”
Scholars and political experts have regularly debated whether the court's steady march to the right, exacerbated by increasingly contentious confirmation fights and disputes like the Senate's refusal to even hold a hearing on President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick B. Garland, was sapping public faith in the court as fundamentally a legal forum.
越来越有争议的就职确认纷争——如参议院甚至拒绝就总统巴拉克·奥巴马对梅里克·加兰的提名举行听证会——加剧了最高法院的右倾趋势。学者和政治专家经常对此进行辩论：最高法院的稳步右倾是否削弱了公众对最高法院作为一个基本法律论坛的信心。
Also perhaps straining that faith was the now-familiar ritual of conservative nominees professing their view of Roe as settled law and their respect for precedent-and then apparently voting to overturn it the first chance they got.
现在人们所熟悉的保守派被提名者的流程是：他们先是声称自己认为罗伊案是既定法律，并对先例表示尊重，然后显然一有机会就投票推翻它。这（种情形）或许也使公众对于最高法院的信心变得愈发紧张起来。
词汇预习
increasingly [高考]
美[ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli] | 英[ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli]
adv. 逐渐地；越来越多地
apparently [高考]
美[əˈpærəntli] | 英[əˈpærəntli]
adv. 表面上；似乎；显然
definitely [高考]
美[ˈdefɪnətli] | 英[ˈdefɪnətli]
adv. 肯定地；当然地；明确地
absolutely [高考]
美[ˈæbsəluːtli] | 英[ˈæbsəluːtli]
adv. 完全地；绝对地；[语]独立地 int. （表示赞同）完全正确，一点没错
forum [高考]
美[ˈfɔːrəm] | 英[ˈfɔːrəm]
n. 讨论会；论坛
dispute [高考]
美[dɪˈspjuːt] | 英[dɪˈspjuːt]
v. 争论；辩驳；争议；质疑 n. 争论；争端；争吵
Mrs. [高考]
美[ˈmɪsɪz] | 英[ˈmɪsɪz]
n. 夫人
access [高考]
美[ˈækses] | 英[ˈækses]
n.入口，通道；获得的机会，使用权；（对计算机存储器的）访问，存取；（情感）爆发，发作；探视权 v. 接近，进入；获取，访问（计算机信息） adj.[美]（电视节目或时间等）对外公开的
steady [高考]
美[ˈstedi] | 英[ˈstedi]
adj.稳定的；稳固的；坚定的 v.使稳固；使稳定；(变得)稳固；使坚定 adv.稳定地，稳固地 n. 关系固定的情侣 ；固定支架
political [高考]
美[pəˈlɪtɪkl] | 英[pəˈlɪtɪkl]
adj. 政治的；政治上的；政党的；人事的；争权夺利的
faith [高考]
美[feɪθ] | 英[feɪθ]
n. 信仰；信念；信任
majority [高考]
美[məˈdʒɔːrəti] | 英[məˈdʒɒrəti]
n. 大多数；大部分；多数票；（获胜的）票数
draft [高考]
美[dræft] | 英[drɑːft]
n. 草稿；草图；汇票；征兵 vt. 起草；征兵；选秀 adj. 酝酿中的
legal [高考]
美[ˈliːɡl] | 英[ˈliːɡl]
adj. 法定的；法律的；合法的
politics [高考]
美[ˈpɑːlətɪks] | 英[ˈpɒlətɪks]
n. 政治；政治学；政治活动；政治策略；政见
nationwide [高考]
美[ˌneɪʃnˈwaɪd] | 英[ˌneɪʃnˈwaɪd]
adj. 全国性的 adv. 在全国范围内
conservative [高考]
美[kənˈsɜːrvətɪv] | 英[kənˈsɜːvətɪv]
adj. 保守的；守旧的 n. 保守派(党)；保守的人
abortion [高考]
美[əˈbɔːrʃn] | 英[əˈbɔːʃn]
n. 流产；堕胎；（计划等）失败
access to [高考]
美[ˈæksɛs tu] | 英[ˈækses tu:]
接近，有权使用；进入，通向…的路口
respect for [高考]
美[rɪˈspɛkt fɔr] | 英[risˈpekt fɔ:]
钦佩； 尊敬
practitioner [高考]
美[prækˈtɪʃənər] | 英[prækˈtɪʃənə(r)]
n. 从业者；实践者
undo [高考]
美[ʌnˈduː] | 英[ʌnˈduː]
v. 解开；松开；取消
hearing [高考]
美[ˈhɪrɪŋ] | 英[ˈhɪərɪŋ]
n. 听力；听觉；说话或申辩的机会；审讯；听证会
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
refusal [四级]
美[rɪˈfjuːzl] | 英[rɪˈfjuːzl]
n. 拒绝；回绝
fundamentally [四级]
美[ˌfʌndəˈmentəli] | 英[ˌfʌndəˈmentəli]
adv. 从根本上；基本地
revelation [四级]
美[ˌrevəˈleɪʃn] | 英[ˌrevəˈleɪʃn]
n. 揭露；泄露；发觉；启示
confirmation [四级]
美[ˌkɑːnfərˈmeɪʃn] | 英[ˌkɒnfəˈmeɪʃn]
n. 确认；证实；（基督教的）坚信礼
precedent [四级]
美[ˈpresɪdənt] | 英[ˈpresɪdənt]
n. 先例；惯例 adj. 先前的；在先的
ritual [六级]
美[ˈrɪtʃuəl] | 英[ˈrɪtʃuəl]
n. 仪式；典礼；宗教仪式；固定程序 adj. 仪式的；老规矩的；惯常的
overturn [六级]
美[ˌoʊvərˈtɜːrn] | 英[ˌəʊvəˈtɜːn]
v. 翻倒；推翻；颠覆 n. 倾覆；打翻
faith in [六级]
美[feθ ɪn] | 英[feiθ in]
对 ... 的信心
overrule [专四]
美[ˌoʊvərˈrul] | 英[ˌəʊvəˈru:l]
v. 驳回；否决；统治；对...施加影响
sweeping [专八]
美[ˈswipɪŋ] | 英[ˈswi:pɪŋ]
n. 扫除 adj. 一扫而去的；凶猛的；广泛的
重点讲解
The revelation of a Supreme Court draft opinion that would overrule Roe v. Wade has caused many Americans to express doubts about whether the justices are guided by the law rather than by their political beliefs.
最高法院一份将会推翻罗伊诉韦德案的意见草案遭到泄露后，许多美国民众开始质疑大法官（进行裁决）是否依据法律而非他们的政治信仰。
overrule v. （以权力）否定，拒绝，更改决定
（英文释义：If someone in authority overrules a person or their decision, they officially decide that the decision is incorrect or not valid.）
【例】The verdict was overruled by the Supreme Court.
最高法院驳回了那个裁决。
In interviews across the country, even some opponents of abortion expressed unease with the way that a majority of the court had coalesced behind the sweeping draft written by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. that would undo nearly 50 years of legalized access to abortion nationwide.
在全国各地的采访中，就连一些反堕胎人士也对法院大多数人支持大法官小塞缪尔·阿利托所撰写的多数意见草案表示不安，该草案将取消全国范围内已经实施近50年的堕胎合法化。
sweeping adj.
1. 影响广泛的；大范围的；根本性的
（英文释义：having an important effect on a large part of sth）
【例】sweeping reforms/changes 全面改革；彻底变化
2. （过分）笼统的；一概而论的
（英文释义：(disapproving) too general and failing to think about or understand particular examples）
【例】a sweeping generalization/statement 笼统的概括；一概而论的说法
3. （投票等中的）大胜
（英文释义：a victory by a large number of votes）
【例】a sweeping victory 压倒性的胜利
Rebekah Merkle, an author and mother of five in Moscow, Idaho, said she thought that Supreme Court justices would be "vindicated as the heroes" if they struck down Roe v. Wade.
丽贝卡·默克尔是爱达荷州莫斯科市的作家，同时也是五个孩子的母亲。她认为，如果最高法院的法官们推翻罗伊诉韦德案，他们将“被证明是英雄”。
vindicate v. 证明是正确的
（英文释义：If a person or their decisions, actions, or ideas are vindicated, they are proved to be correct, after people have said that they were wrong.）
【例】The director said he had been vindicated by the experts' report.
主任说专家们的报告证明他是正确的。
strike down
1. 击倒
（英文释义：to cause to fall by a blow, etc.; knock down）
【例】The speeding car struck the cyclist down.
超速行驶的汽车将骑车的人撞倒了。
2. 取消，使...无效
（英文释义：to do away with; undo, cancel, etc.; especially to declare a law illegal and unenforceable）
【例】The Supreme Court struck down a law.
美国联邦最高法院宣布一项法律无效。
3. (尤指因疾病) 使丧命; 摧垮
（英文释义：If someone is struck down, especially by an illness, they are killed or severely harmed.）
【例】Frank had been struck down by a massive heart attack.
弗兰克被严重的心脏病夺去了生命。
But although she approves of the composition of the court, she does not dispute that it finds itself deeply enmeshed in politics. "It certainly seems more politicized to me than it used to be," Mrs. Merkle said.
不过，尽管她赞同最高法院的草案，她并不否认最高法院深陷政治泥潭。“在我看来，它肯定比过去更政治化了，”默克尔表示。
dispute n. & v.
1. 作名词，争论，辩论，纠纷
【例】industrial/pay disputes 劳资／工资纠纷
2. 作动词，对…提出质询；对…表示异议（或怀疑）
【例】These figures have been disputed.
有人对这些数字提出了质疑。
"And part of it is because politics have gotten so ugly recently. And that seems to have definitely impacted the court, as well."
“部分原因是最近政治变得如此丑陋，看起来肯定也对法院也造成了影响。”
dispute n. & v.
1. 作名词，争论，辩论，纠纷
【例】industrial/pay disputes 劳资／工资纠纷
2. 作动词，对…提出质询；对…表示异议（或怀疑）
【例】These figures have been disputed.
有人对这些数字提出了质疑。
Jenny Doyle, a neonatal nurse practitioner and mother of two in Boulder, Colo., was so distressed by the Roe news that she considered whether she should leave the country: "I think Iceland sounds good," she said. But she was on the same page as Mrs. Merkle in seeing the court as an increasingly political actor.
科罗拉多州博尔德市的新生儿护士、两个孩子的母亲珍妮·道尔对罗伊案的消息感到非常难过，她考虑是否应该离开这个国家：“我觉得冰岛听起来不错，”她说。但她和默克尔一致认为，最高法院越来越具有政治色彩了。
on the same page 意见一致；达成共识
（英文释义：agreeing about something (such as how things should be done）
【例】You should both be on the same page regarding how money is being spent.
你们俩可以在如何用钱方面达成一致。
【拓展】in the same boat 处境相同
（英文释义：In a similar situation, in the same position.）
【例】She's always complaining that she doesn't have enough money, but we're all in the same boat.
她总是抱怨自己的钱不够用，可是我们的处境都一样。
"I absolutely believe in a term limit on the Supreme Court," she said, of justices who can choose to serve until they die. "They are losing touch with the real America and the real issues of Americans."
“我绝对相信最高法院应该有任期限制，”她所指的是那些可以选择任职直至去世的大法官。“他们已经脱离真实的美国和美国人所面临的真正问题了。”
lose touch
1. 失去联系
（英文释义：to stop communicating with each other : to no longer know what is happening in each other's lives）
【例】They were friends in college, but then they moved to different cities and lost touch.
他们在大学时是朋友，但后来搬到不同的城市，失去了联系。
She lost touch with her college roommate after graduation.
她毕业后就和大学室友失去了联系。
2. 不再了解（最新）情况
（英文释义：to stop knowing what is happening, how certain people feel, etc. —usually + with）
【例】I read the newspaper every morning so that I don't completely lose touch with what's happening in the world.
我每天早上都读报，这样我就不会完全不了解世界上正在发生的事情。
Scholars**** and political experts have**** regularly debated whether the court's steady**** march to**** the right,**** exacerbated by**** increasingly**** contentious confirmation**** fights**** and disputes**** like**** the Senate****'s refusal to**** even**** hold**** a hearing on**** President Barack**** Obama's nomination**** of**** Merrick B.**** Garland,**** was sapping public**** faith in**** the court as**** fundamentally a legal forum.****
越来越有争议的就职确认纷争——如参议院甚至拒绝就总统巴拉克·奥巴马对梅里克·加兰的提名举行听证会——加剧了最高法院的右倾趋势。学者和政治专家经常对此进行辩论：最高法院的稳步右倾是否削弱了公众对最高法院作为一个基本法律论坛的信心。
Also perhaps straining that faith was the now-familiar ritual of conservative nominees professing their view of Roe as settled law and their respect for precedent—and then apparently voting to overturn it the first chance they got.
现在人们所熟悉的保守派被提名者的流程是：他们先是声称自己认为罗伊案是既定法律，并对先例表示尊重，然后显然一有机会就投票推翻它。这（种情形）或许也使公众对于最高法院的信心变得愈发紧张起来。
profess v.
1. （常不真实地）声称
（英文释义：If you profess to do or have something, you claim that you do it or have it, often when you do not.）
【例】She still professes her innocence.
她仍然声称自己无辜。
2. 宣称；公开表明
（英文释义：to state openly that you have a particular belief, feeling, etc.）
【例】He professed his admiration for their work.
他表示钦佩他们的工作。
precedent n. & adj.
1. 作名词，先例，前例；判例
（英文释义： If there is a precedent for an action or event, it has happened before, and this can be regarded as an argument for doing it again; [law] a previous case or legal decision that may be or ( binding precedent ) must be followed in subsequent similar cases.）
【例】The ruling set a precedent for future libel cases.
这项裁决为今后的诽谤案提供了判例。
2. 作形容词，先前的
（英文释义：prior in time, order, arrangement, or significance）
【例】a precedent case 一个先例
【拓展】unprecedented adj. 前所未有的，史无前例的
【例】Such a move is rare, but not unprecedented.
这样的举动少见，但并非从来没有过。
overturn v.
1. 打翻; 翻倒
【例】The motorcycle veered out of control, overturned and smashed into a wall.
摩托车转向失去了控制，翻倒在地，然后猛地撞到一面墙上。
2. 推翻，撤销（判决等）
【例】His sentence was overturned by the appeal court.
上诉法庭撤销了对他的判决。
课后练习
According to the text, the draft opinion of the Supreme Court ____.
A. shows that the justices make their ruling based on the law
B. causes concern that the justices are influenced by political beliefs
C. tends to legalize people’s access to abortion across the country
D. generates protest against the decision to undo the right to abortion
What does Rebekah Merkle think about the draft opinion?
A. The justices would be mistaken to strike down Roe v. Wade.
B. The draft opinion of the Supreme Court makes good sense.
C. The justices are in dispute with each other over political issues.
D. The draft opinion will have negative impact on the court.
Which of the following statements might Jenny Doyle agree with?
A. Iceland’s government is superior to that of America.
B. The court plays an important role in politics.
C. Justices should devote their lifetime in the court.
D. Justices fail to understand the reality of America.
What might cause public faith in the court to diminish?
A. The trend that the court is leaning towards the right wing.
B. The confirmation dispute between the court and the Senate.
C. The refusal of President Obama to nominate Merrick B. Garland.
D. The conservative nominees’ lack of respect for settled law.