共和党即将失去在国会的多数党地位，这可能会持续多年。但他们今年仍有“跛脚鸭”会议期来推进部分优先事项，若虚度光阴将是一件糟糕的事。
Republicans are soon losing their majorities in Congress, probably for many years. But they still have the lame-duck session this year to accomplish some of their priorities, and it would be a terrible thing to waste.
[音频] 特朗普解雇苏西·怀尔斯，舒默誓不接受“右翼”大法官，以及更多中期选举后续影响国会必须完成国防授权法案，并在临时拨款法案于12月初到期后为政府提供资金。但共和党仍可利用预算协调程序，该程序允许法案仅凭51票即可在参议院通过。以下是一份政策清单，若能付诸实施，将作为给选民的一份实实在在的告别礼物：
[audio] Trump Fires Susie Wiles, Schumer Vows No ‘Right-winger’ Justices, and More Midterm Fallout Congress has to finish a defense policy bill and fund the government after a stopgap expires in early December. But the GOP can still use its budget reconciliation vehicle that allows a bill to pass the Senate with only 51 votes. Here’s a policy list that would make a real difference as a farewell gift to voters:
- 许可制度改革。一项待定的两党协议旨在改革美国错综复杂的许可制度，将对那些拖延石油和可再生能源项目、没完没了的环境评审施加一定约束。这种监管理性将成为经济的一大福音。
• Permitting reform. A pending bipartisan deal to reform the country’s byzantine permitting system would impose some discipline on never-ending environmental reviews that hold up oil and renewable energy projects. The regulatory sanity would be an economic boon.
一些民主党人现在将试图搅局，因为他们很快将成为多数党，但他们不应指望特朗普明年会推出一个党派版本。两党都有动力通过这项协议。
Some Democrats will try to scuttle the deal now that they’ll soon have the majority, but they shouldn’t count on President Trumpg a partisan version next year. Both parties have an incentive to pass the deal.
- 国防。特朗普提出了1.5万亿美元的国防预算，这对世界迅速累积的危险持现实态度。但如果没有共和党的预算法案，其中3500亿美元可能会落空。该请求包括：用于防空拦截弹和“战斧”巡航导弹等弹药的470亿美元；用于对现代作战至关重要的空间雷达和网络的110亿美元；以及用于在250多个地点部署反无人机防护的140亿美元。
• Defense. Mr. Trump proposed a $1.5 trillion defense budget that is realistic about the world’s rapidly compounding dangers. But $350 billion of that could be dead without a GOP budget bill. This request includes $47 billion for munitions such as air defense interceptors and Tomahawks; $11 billion for space radars and networks crucial to modern war-fighting; and $14 billion in funding for counter-drone protection at more than 250 sites.
民主党人在2027年将为任何国防开支增加索取巨额国内开支作为代价。“跛脚鸭”会议期是兑现特朗普重建美军这一未竟承诺的最后机会。
Democrats in 2027 will extract a huge domestic spending price for any increase in defense. The lame duck is the last chance to make good on Mr. Trump’s unfulfilled promise to rebuild the U.S. military.
- 确认法官提名。民主党将在明年一月阻挠任何最高法院提名以及几乎所有上诉法院提名。目前有三名法官等待参议院全院表决，另有18名地区法官提名和两名上诉法院提名正在委员会审议中。第五和第八巡回上诉法院的提名尤为重要。应当全部确认。
• Confirm judges. Democrats will block any Supreme Court and nearly all appellate court nominees come January. Three judges are awaiting a Senate floor vote, and 18 district judges and two appellate nominees are pending in committee. Those for the Fifth and Eighth appellate courts are especially important. Confirm them all.
- 按通胀指数调整资本利得。共和党未来两年需要强劲的经济表现，否则将在2028年面临更大的失利。然而，正如上周所显示的，与人工智能相关的市场和投资回调风险真实存在。在不废除关税的前提下，这是最容易实施的经济增长保障措施。对虚幻收益征税既不公平，又拖累经济增长。共和党可以将指数化调整与扩大自住住房出售税收抵扣额相结合。
• Indexing capital gains for inflation. Republicans need a strong economy for the next two years or they’ll face even more losses in 2028. Yet the danger of an AI-related market and investment correction is real, as last week showed. Short of repealing tariffs, this is the easiest economic growth insurance. Paying taxes on phantom gains is both unfair and a drag on economic growth. The GOP can pair the indexing with an expanded deduction for the sale of a primary home.
- 更多医疗和福利改革。即使在共和党形势有利的年份，动医疗项目也是沉重的政治负担。但这是一个全国性的丑闻：医疗补助作为一项面向穷人的项目，为贫困线以上的健全男性支付的费用，竟高于为低收入孕妇支付的费用——在一些州前者承担90%的成本，后者仅接近一半。
• More health and welfare reforms. Touching health programs is a heavy political lift even in good years for the GOP. But it’s a national scandal that Medicaid, a program for the poor, pays more for able-bodied men above the poverty line than for low-income pregnant women—90% of costs versus closer to half in some states.
减少欺诈的一个思路是，为“奥巴马医改”设定25美元的最低保费缴纳门槛。特朗普政府已揭露食品券、医疗补助和“奥巴马医改”中存在的恶劣欺诈行为。巨额补贴诱使健康保险经纪人钻制度空子，而乔·拜登增发的补贴导致部分参保人无需支付任何保费。防范欺诈的核心措施是确保每位参保人每月都承担一定费用。
One idea to reduce fraud is a $25 minimum premium payment for ObamaCare. The Trump Administration has exposed egregious fraud in food stamps, Medicaid and ObamaCare. Big subsidies have invited health brokers to game the system, and Joe Biden’s enhanced payouts meant that some individuals paid nothing for insurance. A core defense against fraud is making sure each enrollee contributes something each month.
另一个思路是终止宽泛的类别资格认定。该国庞大的福利体系允许许多人在未对每项福利进行严格收入和资产审查的情况下，跨项目重复领取。全国已对联邦福利中的猖獗欺诈有所觉醒，共和党可以采取更多行动加以遏制。
Another idea is ending broad categorical eligibility. The country’s vast welfare state lets many people cross-enroll in programs without serious income and asset tests for each benefit. The country is awake to the rampant fraud in federal benefits, and the GOP can do far more to curb it.
民主党人抨击共和党的2025年改革，但出口民调显示，这些变革并非导致共和党失利的主要原因。无论他们现在做什么，也不会成为2028年大选的议题。为什么不在离任前向选民展示，只有一个党认真对待贪得无厌的福利国家问题，同时保障弱势群体的福利？
Democrats attacked Republicans for their 2025 reforms, but the exit polls showed those changes weren’t the main cause of the GOP defeat. Whatever they do now won’t be the issue in 2028 either. Why not leave town showing voters that only one party is serious about tackling the insatiable entitlement state while preserving benefits for the needy?
我们知道，这大多不太可能实现。许多落选议员士气低落，甚至可能不愿返回华盛顿投票。但共和党议员的任期持续到1月，没人知道他们何时才能再次同时控制参众两院和白宫。重建一个向选民展示其坚守信念的“老牌政党”工程，将于11月9日两院复会时在华盛顿启动。
We know most of this is a long shot. Many losing Members are demoralized and may not even want to return to D.C. to vote. But GOP lawmakers are employed until January, and nobody knows when they’ll next control both chambers and the White House. The project of rebuilding a Grand Old Party that shows voters it believes in something starts Nov. 9 when both chambers return to Washington.