As the midterms(中期选举) approach, America’s two main parties are conducting opposite experiments. Republicans march in lockstep(步调一致地前进) behind Donald Trump, who summoned(召集) his troops to Dallas this week to celebrate his awesomeness. (He also offered every American adult a $5,000 cheque if Republicans win.) Democrats, by contrast, are bickering(争吵不休) over their leaders, strategy and ideology. The party has no standard-bearer(领军人物), while socialists who once flitted(轻快地游走) around its edge are trying to become its heart. On the campaign trail, Republican discipline will beat Democratic chaos. Or so Republicans hope.
随着中期选举临近，美国两大政党正在进行方向相反的实验。共和党人紧随唐纳德·特朗普，步调一致；本周他把自己的队伍召集到达拉斯，庆祝他的“伟大”。（他还承诺，如果共和党获胜，就给每个美国成年人一张5000美元的支票。）相比之下，民主党人正为领导人、战略和意识形态争吵不休。该党没有公认的领军人物，而曾经在其边缘徘徊的社会主义者正试图成为它的核心。在竞选路上，共和党的纪律将战胜民主党的混乱。至少共和党人是这么希望的。
But political parties are not armies; their members’ duty is not merely to obey. They should debate, adapt and attract talent. They should be open to new leaders and new ideas. That is especially true after the political transformation wrought(造成的) by Mr Trump. By those measures(按这些标准衡量) the unified Republican Party looks increasingly unhealthy, whereas the disunited Democrats may be engaged in the messy work of renewal(更新、复兴).
但政党不是军队；其成员的天职不只是服从。他们应当辩论、调整并吸引人才。他们应当对新领袖和新思想持开放态度。在特朗普带来的政治变革之后，这一点尤其如此。按这些标准衡量，团结的共和党看起来越来越不健康，而分裂的民主党或许正在从事混乱的自我更新工作。
Republican unity has come at a steep price(代价高昂). In the decade since Mr Trump was first elected president, he has remade the party in his image(按他的形象). Its politicians are judged not by their principles, effectiveness or electoral appeal, but by their fealty(效忠) to the president. Those who bend the knee(屈膝臣服) vigorously, such as Ken Paxton, the scandal-plagued(丑闻缠身的) Texas attorney-general, are rewarded with endorsements. Those displaying even an iota(极少量) of independence, such as John Cornyn or Bill Cassidy, are ostracised(被排挤) or forced from office. Even as Mr Trump builds monuments to himself(为自己树碑立传) and tramples(践踏) democratic (and conservative) norms, the Republican-led Congress has shown little appetite to(几乎没有表现出……的意愿) constrain him.
共和党的团结代价高昂。在特朗普首次当选总统后的十年里，他按照自己的形象重塑了该党。其政客的评价标准不再是原则、能力或选举吸引力，而是对总统的忠诚。那些积极屈膝的人，比如丑闻缠身的得克萨斯州总检察长肯·帕克斯顿，会得到背书作为奖赏。而那些表现出哪怕一丝独立的人，比如约翰·科宁或比尔·卡西迪，则会被排挤或被迫离职。即便特朗普为自己树碑立传、践踏民主（以及保守主义）规范，共和党控制的国会也几乎没有表现出约束他的意愿。