密歇根新闻广播 密州政商领导直奔麦基诺岛不管底特律学校的事

The week after Memorial Day is when Michigan's political and business leaders pack up and head north to Mackinac Island for the annual Detroit Regional Chamber¹ Policy Conference.

Mackinac is a major political event where political fundraisers are as ubiquitous as horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and complimentary² cocktails³.

The conference also known for wheeling and dealing⁴, talking out the tough questions, and reaching consensus⁵, or at least compromise, in its clubby, chummy environs.

But it looks like that won't be the case this year.

The Detroit Regional Chamber is full-on behind a bailout plan for the Detroit Public Schools that's also backed by Governor Rick Snyder and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. The plan is a bipartisan effort, passed by the state Senate with support from Republican and Democratic leaders, as well as the Detroit delegation⁶.

But, it landed with a big thud in the Republican-controlled state House. It didn't help that there was a scandal where Detroit school administrators⁷ were found to have taken big kickbacks⁸ from a vendor⁹ who sold school supplies that were never delivered. As well as sick-outs by DPS teachers protesting the possibility of payless paydays as soon as July.

The Republican-only House version is much less generous with the money that would go to support the district and is critically different when it comes to handling the proliferation of charter schools in the city.

The Detroit Regional Chamber, Snyder, and Duggan all planned to use the Mackinac Island event to try and make some headway with House Republicans.

Chamber members were being asked to take every opportunity to buttonhole the GOP House lawmakers and argue for the Senate version of the bailout. But, now it looks like, that isn't going to happen.

Normally the legislature meets in Lansing during the first day of the conference. Then lawmakers head up for the final few days but, this year, the Republican Speaker of the House is telling his chamber to stay put. That votes will take place all week.

"I'm not keeping anyone captive. What I've said is that we will be holding votes," Speaker Kevin Cotter told reporters last week. This keeps his Republican lawmakers in Lansing instead of being cajoled and arm-twisted on Mackinac.

But Cotter says, just maybe, if there's a deal in hand then he might be open to releasing the House later this week to head up to the island, "If we have a DPS deal done, and we have the budget done, then I would probably be willing to at least reconsider. But, at the same time, we're not going to jeopardize¹⁰ the quality of the product that we put out as to either of those just for the purposes of trying to get out of town."

In other words, if there's any deal-making to be done, it'll be in Lansing and not over chilled-shrimp and cocktails at Mackinac.

1 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

2 complimentary   

adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的

参考例句：

• She made some highly complimentary remarks about their school.她对他们的学校给予高度的评价。
• The supermarket operates a complimentary shuttle service.这家超市提供免费购物班车。

3 cocktails   

n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 )；餐前开胃菜；混合物

参考例句：

• Come about 4 o'clock. We'll have cocktails and grill steaks. 请四点钟左右来，我们喝鸡尾酒，吃烤牛排。 来自辞典例句
• Cocktails were a nasty American habit. 喝鸡尾酒是讨厌的美国习惯。 来自辞典例句

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

6 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

7 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

8 kickbacks   

n.激烈反应( kickback的名词复数 )；佣金，回扣

参考例句：

• Everyone at City Hall is receiving kickbacks. It's the only way to get anything done there. 市政府里的每个人都收回扣，在那里只有送红包，事情才办得成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• G raft or kickbacks paid to officials or law enforcem ent authorities. 暗中付给官员或执法人员的回扣。 来自互联网

9 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

10 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。