on-the-fence politics

民主党の代表選では細野豪志環境大臣の不出馬によって、再び、野田総理の再選が有力となっています。 その野田首相は昨夜の出馬表明で、持論である「決められない政治からの脱却」を再び持ち出し、「社会保障と税の一体改革の８つの関連法案を成立させることができましたのは、この国会の最大の成果である」と宣言しました。

この「決められない政治からの脱却」をどう訳すかという問題は一時、メディアのみならず、英語関係のブログを賑わせましたが、以下の記事ような訳に落ち着いたようです。

Rocky, extended Diet session over; bills, treaties left in lurch

Voters have grown disenchanted over the DPJ-led administration's inability to overcome the political chaos in the divided Diet and deliver on campaign promises it made for the 2009 Lower House election that brought it to power for the first time.

Noda has also sparked public resentment for his unpopular drive to raises taxes, as he has failed to show any vision of how the increased revenue will be used to support the aging society and snowballing social security costs.

During the ordinary Diet session, Noda tried to execute leadership by putting "an end to on-the-fence politics" and passing the bill to double the 5 percent consumption tax by October 2015.

But during the process, DPJ kingpin Ichiro Ozawa, who opposed the tax hike, left to form a new party, deepening voters' impression that the existing parties are more interested in wrangling over political power than getting anything done.

"The DPJ had no outlook on how to maintain power after the tax hike, focusing only on trying to come out with as little damage as possible. And now it is in a situation that if an election were to take place, the DPJ would lose badly and be forced out of power," said Sadafumi Kawato, a professor of political science at the University of Tokyo.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120907x2.html

on-the-fence politicsは、おそらくはsit on the fence（「どちらをとるか決められない」）というイディオムからのものでしょう。

このイディオム、しばしば動詞を省略して用いられます。例えば、YesかNoの選択を求められたときに、On the fence.と答えると、「どちらとも言えない。Yes and no.」の意味になります。増税かそれとも増税なき道をとるのかを逡巡して、決断できすにただフェンスの上にすわっているだけの政治屋を揶揄した見事な英訳だと思います。

Deng Xiaopingのとったkick in the long grassの方針とは対照的です。（UG）
http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20120907/1346985372