又中又英 | Pulled no punches | 褚簡寧

　　Opinion polls show US President Donald Trump's Republican Party is floundering ahead of this November's midterm Congressional elections. To be floundering means to be facing great difficulties. Democrat candidates in the elections are not pulling punches in linking their Republican opponents to Trump's unpopular policies even though Trump, as president, is not a participant in Congressional elections. To pull punches means to show restraint or lessen your criticism to avoid offending someone. But if you are not pulling punches, it means you are not showing any restraint in criticizing someone.

　　Trump knows his deep unpopularity could hurt Republican candidates in this November's midterm Congressional elections. Republicans now control both Houses of Congress with slim majorities. Polls show the Democrats are almost certain to win back control of the House of Representatives and possibly even the Senate, giving them full control of Congress. Trump recently offered to give every adult American citizen US$5,000 if his Republican Party retains control of Congress. He said recipients must spend the money in the US. Critics have pulled no punches in accusing Trump of bribing voters, which is illegal.

　　Others have described Trump's proposed cash handouts as a form of helicopter money. The expression "helicopter money" means giving cash to people to stimulate a weak economy. The Hong Kong government gave every adult permanent resident helicopter money of HK$10,000 in 2020 to stimulate the economy during the Covid pandemic. Both Trump and President Joe Biden gave helicopter money to Americans during Covid. But critics of the US$5,000 say the US economy doesn’t need of stimulating even though Trump’s Iran war has raised gas and food prices. They say cash handouts will instead worsen inflation and US debt.

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　　民意調查顯示，美國總統特朗普所屬共和黨在11月國會中期選舉前，正在苦苦掙扎（floundering）。To be floundering是指要面對重重困難。民主黨候選人在這場選舉中，毫不手軟地（not pulling punches）將他們的共和黨對手扣連至特朗普那些不受歡迎的政策上，即使作為總統的特朗普並非國會選舉的參與者。To pull punches是指手下留情，批評時有所保留，以免冒犯到他人。但若你are not pulling punches，那即是說你批評某人時毫不留情。

　　特朗普也知道，自己極度不得民心，足以在這11月的國會中期選舉中損害到共和黨的候選人。共和黨人現正以微弱多數掌控着國會兩院。民調顯示，民主黨幾近肯定能奪回眾議院，也很有可能同時拿下參議院，使他們能全面掌控國會。特朗普最近提出，若他的共和黨得以維持掌控國會，可向每名美國公民派發5000美元。他說領取者必須在美國境內花費那筆錢。批評者毫不留情地（pulled no punches）指控特朗普賄賂選民，而這是違法的。

　　另一些人則形容特朗普提議的派錢為「直升機撒錢」（helicopter money）的一種。習語helicopter money是指用派錢的方式去刺激疲弱的經濟。香港政府曾在2020年新冠肺炎疫情期間，給予每名香港永久居民一萬港元的「飛來橫財」（helicopter money）。總統特朗普和拜登都曾在疫情期間給美國人「直升機撒錢」（helicopter money）。但批評派5000美元的人則指，即使特朗普的伊朗戰爭推高了燃油和食物價格，美國經濟也毋須這樣刺激。他們說，派錢反而會惡化通脹和美國債務。

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　　Michael Chugani褚簡寧
　　中譯：七刻