Profiting in Congress

Dozens of lawmakers trade stocks related to their work, and it's harming trust in the government.

Nearly one in five members of Congress, from both parties, have in recent years bought stocks that intersected with their congressional committee work

intersected with: 于...相关

The trades exacerbate many voters’ sense that politicians put their own interests above the public’s or the country’s. That, in turn, helps fuel Americans’ distrust of their government.

exacerbate: 加剧, 恶化, 激怒
fuel: 助长

Donald Trump vowed to “drain the swamp” of corruption and self-dealing (though his administration was plagued by ethics scandals).

唐纳德特朗普发誓要“排干”腐败和自我交易的沼泽（尽管他的政府受到道德丑闻的困扰）。

drain the swamp: 排干沼泽

In other countries, authoritarians have tapped into public distrust to justify more extreme measures and changes, eroding democracy around the world.

在其他国家，威权主义者利用公众的不信任来为更极端的措施和变革辩护，从而侵蚀了世界各地的民主。

tap into: 利用/挖掘
erode: 侵蚀

Still, there may be a simpler explanation for why lawmakers haven’t passed a bill, Kate said: “It’s not in their personal interest.”

不过，对于立法者为什么没有通过法案，可能有一个更简单的解释。正如凯特所说：“这不符合他们的个人利益。”