(미국) 미선거: 공화당 승리

출처: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29910542

5 November 2014 Last updated at 07:52

US mid-terms: Republicans win control of the Senate 미중간평가선거: 공화당 상원 장악 성공

Rajini Vaidyanathan looks back at how the night unfolded 라지니 바이디야탄 어제밤 어떠했는지 되돌아 보고 있다

The Republicans have won control of the Senate in the US mid-term elections, increasing their power in the final two years of Barack Obama's presidency. 미공화당 의원들이 미국 중간평가 선거에서 상원을 장악하는데 성공함으로써, 2년 임기를 남겨둔 바락 오바마와 맞설 수 있는 힘을 얻었다.

The party won in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. 공화당은 알칸사스, 콜로라도, 아이오와, 노스 캐롤라이나, 사우스 다코타, 웨스트 버지니아에서 승리했다.

And it is expected to post more gains as votes are counted in other states. 그리고 이는 개표가 다른 주에서 집계되고 있기 때문에, 더 많은 표를 획득할 것으로 예상된다.

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, poised to lead the chamber, said the result was a vote against "a government that people can no longer trust". 상원을 이끌었던 공화당의원 밋치 맥 코넬은 이번 선거가 "국민들이 더 이상 신뢰할 수 없는 정부"를 심판했던 투표였다고 말했다.

In the mid-terms, so-called because they fell half way into Mr Obama's second four-year term in office, about one-third of the Senate, the entire House of Representatives, 36 of 50 state governors, and countless state and local offices were up for election. 중간평가라 불리는 것은, 오바마의 4년임기 중 2년이 남은 시점에다, 상원의 3분의 1, 전체 하원, 주지사 50명 중 36명, 무수한 주와 지방정부의 자리들이 출마를 한 상태였기 때문이다.

Throughout the campaign, Republicans focused on voter dissatisfaction with Mr Obama, a Democrat, describing the vote as a referendum on his presidency. 선거운동 기간내내, 공화당원들은 유권자들에게 이번 선거는 오바마의 대통령직 수행에 대한 평가로서 의미를 가지기 때문에 이 민주당 소속인 오바마에 대한 불만을 표하도록 만드는데 총력을 기울였다.

As the first results came in late on Tuesday, it became clear they had made convincing gains in the chamber.첫 결과들이 화요일 늦게 나오면서, 공화당이 확실한 승리를 했다는 게 분명해졌다.

Continue reading the main story

Continue reading the main story

With the votes still being counted in many states, the Republican Party easily won the six seats it needed to win control of the Senate.

The party now controls 52 seats, and is tipped to win more.

As well as taking the Senate, the Republicans are projected to increase their majority in the House of Representatives to levels not seen since before World War Two.

Rajesh Mirchandani explains the mid-term election results and what they mean for the Obama presidency 라제시 미르칸다니가 중간평가 선거 결과와 이 결과가 아바마에게 무엇을 의미하는지 설명하고 있다

They also made gains among the 36 governorships up for re-election.

When the new Congress is sworn in in January, it will mark the first time the Republicans have held both chambers since 2006.

They will now have the power to complicate, if not block completely, Mr Obama's agenda in the last two years of his tenure in the White House. 그들은 오바마의 남은 임기 2년간 그의 계획들을 복잡하게 만들 힘을 이제 갖게 된다.

Control of the Senate will also enable the Republicans to stymie his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials. 상원을 장악한다는 것은 공화당원들이 연방판사들, 각료들, 고위정부관료들을 임명할 수 있는 그의 능력을 방해(좌절)할 수 있게 해준다.

Analysis, Jon Sopel, BBC North America editor

Barack Obama's unpopularity in the run-up to these mid-term elections is hard to exaggerate. one of the things that is lost in the big picture of the night is some of the sidebar poll findings - the American people are fed up with all their politicians. It's not just the occupant of the White House, though as Harry Truman most famously noted, the buck stops with the president. 이번 선거에서 드러난 바락 오바마의 낮은 인기는 과장하기 어렵다. 

Mitch McConnell will be conscious of that, and will know that in two years' time, when it is not just the Senate but the presidency in play, the American people could be venting their spleen on him. Be fearful of the blame game.

That leaves the Kentucky senator with some important tactical decisions to make.

Sopel: Obama's mid-term headache

In addition to seats the party won from the Democrats, the Republicans retained seats in at least a dozen other states.

In Louisiana, neither of the top two candidates gained 50% of the vote, forcing a run-off election in early December.

After a close run race, Republican Rick Scott was re-elected governor in Florida

Democratic Senator Kay Hagan concedes to Republican Thom Tillis in North Carolina

In Virginia, Democrat Mark Warner was expected to retain his Senate seat amid a much tighter than expected race with Republican ex-lobbyist Ed Gillespie.

In other developments:

• Voters approved ballot measures legalising cannabis in Oregon and Washington DC, while Florida rejected a medical marijuana proposal
• Three states - South Dakota, Arkansas and Nebraska - approved increases in the minimum wage and a fourth - Alaska - was poised to do so as well
• Michael Grimm, under federal indictment for fraud, was re-elected to his House seat from New York City
• Republican Scott Brown has now lost Senate races in two states - New Hampshire on Tuesday and Massachusetts in 2012
• Utah's Mia Love has become the first black Republican woman to be elected to the House

One of the night's key early results came in Kentucky, where Mr McConnell, the Republican Senate minority leader, fended off Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes.

Mr McConnell will now become the Senate majority leader, giving him control over the chamber's legislative agenda and floor proceedings.

"It wasn't about me or my opponent," he told supporters as he declared victory, "it was about a government that people can no longer trust."

Mia Love of Utah celebrates after becoming the first black Republican woman to be elected to the House

In Arkansas, Senator Mark Pryor hugs his wife after delivering his concession speech 알칸사스 주에서, 상원의원 마크 프롤이 패배인정 연설을 마친 후 아내를 껴안고 있다

Current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid congratulated Mr McConnell in a short statement.

"The message from voters is clear: they want us to work together," said Mr Reid of Nevada, whose role in the soon-to-be Democratic minority remains uncertain. "I look forward to working with Senator McConnell to get things done for the middle class."

In the governor's races, Republican incumbents survived tough re-election battles in Florida, Maine and Wisconsin.

Two other results illustrate the breadth of the Republican sweep - the party's candidates won in Maryland and Massachusetts, two of the most Democratic-friendly states in the nation. Republican Bruce Rauner also won in Illinois - Mr Obama's home state - against incumbent Democratic Governor Pat Quinn.

Supporters of Florida Governor Rick Scott, who won re-election on Tuesday, shout "four more years"

In New Hampshire, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen won a key Senate victory over her Republican challenger

Political gridlock in Congress has already reached historic levels and was a major concern among voters, with many expressing their frustration with the lack of progress on the most pressing issues facing the nation.

Analysts say the Republicans' victory could make the situation even worse ahead of the presidential poll in 2016.

Republican leaders have already pledged to move forward on their key policy priorities, pressing Mr Obama to negotiate on their terms

"It's time for government to start getting results and implementing solutions to the challenges facing our country, starting with our still-struggling economy," said Republican House Speaker John Boehner.

** 밝은 하늘의 논평 **

1. 선거(국민투표)는 평가요 심판이다.

2. 대통령과 기타 고위 공직자들은 국민의 평가와 심판의 대상이다. 이번 미국의 중간평가 선거가 대표적인 최근의 실례이다. 

3. 이번 미국선거는 국민을 졸로 보지 않았다. 

4. 대통령과 기타 공직자들은 국민들이 고용한 머슴들(公僕: public servant)이므로 겸손히 자신의 임무에 충실할 의무가 있으며 청렴하고 일도 열심히 그리고 잘 해야 한다.

5. 그런데 우리나라 공직자들과 권력자들은 머슴이 아니라 오히려 주인행세 혹은 조폭세계의 두목노릇을 한다는 게 문제다. 자신의 아이덴티티가 뭔지도 모르는 멍청한 인간들!