VOA标准英语2012--Independent Fundraising Groups Influencing US Voters

Independent Fundraising Groups Influencing US Voters

All that money flooding into the presidential campaign pays for negative ads.
But all that campaign fundraising and negative advertising¹ has sparked a backlash that recently led to the steps of the U.S. Supreme² Court.
These demonstrators are unhappy with a Supreme Court decision two years ago that opened the way for wealthy individuals, corporations and labor³ unions to spend unlimited⁴ amounts of money running ads in political campaigns, most of them negative.
Annabel Park is with the Coffee Party USA, a counterpart to the conservative-leaning Tea Party movement.
"It's like a fire sale or a casino where very wealthy people are putting down money and making bets and making those choices," said Park. "They might as well be in a back room with cigars."
Experts say the ads can be effective in changing voters' minds, but many of voters don't like them, including some who voted in Florida's recent presidential primary.
MAN 1: "It think it is ridiculous. There has been way too much negative (ads) and it is going to hurt them when Obama grabs that stuff and uses it against them."
WOMAN: "The negativity has been like, to me, fingers on a chalkboard. I think that it is deplorable."
MAN 2: "It is sad but true. You know you get down in the dirt and I don't think anybody is really benefiting from it, but some of the things they are pointing out are true also, so."
The Supreme Court decision has resulted in more wealthy groups trying to influence the election, says John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Committee.
"Well, we certainly have seen the rise of more independent money, money that is not directly controlled directly by the campaigns or by the political parties, and that money is a lot less accountable," said Fortier.
But given the history of money and U.S. political campaigns, the result was predictable, says David Drucker of the newspaper Roll Call.
"Money is like water in politics. If you remove rules it will flood in. If you create rules it will still flood in. It just does it in circuitous⁵ ways," Drucker explained.
That is little consolation⁶ to those who gathered at the Supreme Court. They are demanding that the high court reverse its decision and re-impose campaign spending restrictions⁷ on corporations, unions and the wealthy.

1 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

5 circuitous   

adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的

参考例句：

• They took a circuitous route to avoid reporters.他们绕道避开了记者。
• The explanation was circuitous and puzzling.这个解释很迂曲，让人困惑不解。

6 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制