pbs高端访谈:民意调查显示奥巴马是预算谈判高手

 　　MARGARET WARNER:Eighteen days and counting until the end of the year, when the government reaches the edge of the so-called fiscal¹ cliff.

　　Congressional correspondent Kwame Holman kicks off our coverage² tonight.

　　KWAME HOLMAN:Late in the day, House Speaker John Boehner left Capitol Hill to meet privately³ with President Obama at the White House, their second face-to-face meeting in a week, after a day of heated rhetoric⁴ that began on Capitol Hill, when Boehner was blunt again rejecting the president's demand for power to raise the country's debt ceiling.

　　REP. JOHN BOEHNER, R-Ohio: Congress is never going to give up our ability to control the purse. And the fact is, is that the debt limit ought to be used to bring fiscal sanity⁵ to Washington, D.C.

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　　KWAME HOLMAN:As the deadline to reach a deal to avert⁶ the fiscal cliff draws ever closer, Republicans say the real issue is spending cuts.

　　JOHN BOEHNER: Republicans want to solve this problem by getting the spending line down. The president wants to pretend that spending isn't the problem. That's why we don't have an agreement.

　　KWAME HOLMAN:A claim the White House denies.

　　Spokesman Jay Carney:

　　JAY CARNEY,White House: Let's just be clear. There is one party to these negotiations⁸ who has put forward a specific proposal for revenue and a specific proposal for spending cuts. Even when the Republicans—and I saw Speaker Boehner do this earlier today—insist that the president hasn't put forward spending cuts, one, it begs the question, what spending cuts have the Republicans put forward?

　　KWAME HOLMAN:The president was asked if he was optimistic about reaching a deal.

　　PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Still a work in progress.

　　KWAME HOLMAN:But Senate Majority Leader Harry⁹ Reid said Republicans in Congress should yield to public opinion about tax increases.

　　SEN. HARRY REID,D-Nev.: Speaker Boehner knows or should know that the middle-class tax help that we have to pass would sail through the House of Representatives. Democrats¹¹ would overwhelmingly vote for it. I would doubt there could be any Democrat¹⁰ that would vote against it. And, as we know from the chorus of Republicans that are added to every day, more Republicans join every day.

　　KWAME HOLMAN:In fact, new polls show Americans do want compromise, and it's the Democrats who hold the edge. An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released yesterday shows a majority, 65 percent, say President Obama has a mandate¹² on both increasing taxes on the wealthy and reducing federal spending.

　　A similar two-thirds are willing to accept tax increases or cuts in federal government programs to reach a deal. But while public support on taxes is overwhelming, opinion on proposed cuts is less so.

　　A new Pew Research Center poll out today shows three-quarters said deficit¹³ reduction should come from cutting major programs and increasing taxes.

　　Majorities disapprove¹⁴ of specific cuts to education, infrastructure¹⁵, defense¹⁶ and anti-poverty programs. And just more than half oppose raising the eligibility¹⁷ age for Social Security and Medicare.

　　While both sides have proposed cuts and changes to Medicare, only limited specifics have been released.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: Now, for more on what the public thinks about how the leaders are handling the negotiations and the debate over cuts to Medicare, we turn to Ray Suarez.

　　He begins with the Pew Research Center poll. He talked about it a short time ago with the center's Andrew Kohut.

　　RAY SUAREZ:Andy Kohut, welcome.

　　You have been measuring public attitudes since Election Day. Is it shifting in a way that gives President Obama a stronger hand in dealing¹⁸ with Republican leaders as we approach the fiscal cliff?

　　ANDREW KOHUT, Pew Research Center: No question. He's gotten a lot of -- he has a lot of capital with the public. His approval ratings have surged to 55 percent. A point of comparison, President Bush in December 2004 was at 48 percent.

　　And when we ask people, is Obama trying to make a serious effort to negotiate a deal or to get a deal, 55 percent say yes. When we say the same thing about Republican leaders, just 32 percent say yes. The Democrats are better regarded in this negotiation⁷ than the Republicans by a lot.

　　RAY SUAREZ:Did you ask people what they would be willing to put up with in order to get some sort of solution? For instance, do they support raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans?

　　ANDREW KOHUT:Well, they have a very mixed view of things. They support raising taxes on those who earn more than $250,000, 69 percent, I believe, the statistic¹⁹.

　　They believe in raising taxes on investment income. They believe in limiting the number of deductions²⁰ that can be taken. Things that are in the realm of rich people or more wealthy people making sacrifices are strongly endorsed²¹ by the public or accepted by the public. I won't say strongly endorsed.

　　But when we get to sacrifices that involve a broader part of the American public, personally and with respect to important programs, they say no. Well, 77 percent say, no, let's not reduce funds for education; 58 percent said let's not cut funding to help lower-income people.

　　There is very little give on raising the retirement²² age for—either for Social Security or for Medicare. The public opposes this. So it's one of these deals where the public thinks something has to be done, and they are reluctant themselves to accept sacrifices in cuts in programs.

　　RAY SUAREZ:So, by a very small margin²³, if I recall your numbers, they would support means-testing for Medicare, that is, cutting back on the benefits for wealthy people, but not raising the age at which everyone would become eligible²⁴.

　　ANDREW KOHUT:That's quite right.

　　Again, it's a funny thing here, Ray. The fairness issue, which looms²⁵ so large and rose so large over the past year and over the past few years, is playing out in the way people think about how to deal with the fiscal cliff crisis.

　　RAY SUAREZ:Andy Kohut of the Pew Research Center, thanks a lot.

　　ANDREW KOHUT:You're welcome, Ray.

1 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

2 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

3 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

4 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

5 sanity   

n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确

参考例句：

• I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。

6 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

7 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

10 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

11 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

13 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

14 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

15 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

16 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

17 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

18 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

19 statistic   

n.统计量；adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• Official statistics show real wages declining by 24%.官方统计数字表明实际工资下降了24%。
• There are no reliable statistics for the number of deaths in the battle.关于阵亡人数没有可靠的统计数字。

20 deductions   

扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演

参考例句：

• Many of the older officers trusted agents sightings more than cryptanalysts'deductions. 许多年纪比较大的军官往往相信特务的发现，而不怎么相信密码分析员的推断。
• You know how you rush at things,jump to conclusions without proper deductions. 你知道你处理问题是多么仓促，毫无合适的演绎就仓促下结论。

21 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

23 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

24 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

25 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》