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VOA标准英语2009年-Economists: Stimulus Might Create Fewer US Jobs

时间:2009-04-02 03:44:48

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A group of economists2 has told Democrats4 in Congress on Tuesday that it might take longer for the recently-passed $787 billion stimulus5 plan to generate the number of jobs lawmakers and President Barack Obama hoped it would.
 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (middle)and Economist1 Allen Sinai speaking to reporters at US Capitol, 10 Mar6 2009

Majority Democrats and President Obama identified job creation as a main objective of the economic stimulus package Congress approved last month.

However, in a meeting at the U.S. Capitol with House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders, four prominent economists dampened that expectation.

Allen Sinai, Chief Global Economist at Boston-based Decision Economics, Inc., says the number of jobs created by the stimulus plan might be "a bit disappointing."

"It's a little less than the administration and perhaps [House] Speaker have said. I think when you stretch it out over three years, because the program does go further, you get closer to that number," he said.

Sinai said he doesn't necessarily think another stimulus will be necessary, adding that the economy is in the process of healing itself and could improve significantly in 6 to 12 months.

But Mark Zandi of Moody's Economy.com in New York says that as difficult as 2009 has been so far, the rest of the year could be worse. He adds that Americans should prepare for the likelihood that more stimulus legislation will be needed. "We are going to need more taxpayer7 money up front. I think that another stimulus package is a reasonable probability, given the way things are going," he said.

House Speaker Pelosi agreed, saying Congress and the Obama administration must keep the door open to additional steps, even as the current stimulus plan begins to work.

Pelosi responded again to criticisms from minority Republicans that the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats are creating permanent increases in government programs and spending. "It's very important that the message not be that we have raised the base line for spending. We have not. We have a stimulus which is targeted in a time frame to make the difference," he said.

Republican leaders continued those criticisms on Tuesday. Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia assailed8 Democratic priorities in dealing9 with the recession, and President Obama's budget proposals. "People are afraid because they see proposals being offered every day here to raise their taxes," he said.

New York Representative, Democrat3 Charles Rangel said he hopes Republicans will stop opposing actions the administration has taken. "This is not a partisan10 issue. It is a national issue that demands at least the involvement of Republicans and when you see a divided Congress, there are people that wonder and worry," he said.

Economist Rebecca Blank with the Brookings Institution here in Washington was optimistic that positive results will come from efforts to prevent more job losses and mortgage defaults. But she pointed11 to a bleak12 economic picture, saying recovery - when it does begin - will be slow. "Currently, 12 1/2 million people are unemployed13, and that is a lot of pain. And the bad news is it is going to get worse and we're not coming out of this fast. And particularly labor14 market numbers, [the] unemployment, and unemployment lags [behind] recovery - so even when an aggregate15 recovery starts, those numbers are not going to turn around immediately. They will be four to six months behind," she said.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman, Democrat Barney Frank expressed hope that steps taken so far will have a stimulative17 effect on the stock market. "I believe that what we are doing is very pro-market. We are dealing with some problems that the market faces today, and we are talking about putting in place in the future things that will help the market work better," he said.

Saying the difference between a sharp recession and a depression is a loss of faith, economist Mark Zandi said a restoration of confidence will be key to recovery. "That will be restored over the next few weeks [or] months as the policy efforts that have been put in place begin to take effect and people really see that it makes a difference. Right now, they just don't believe. And if they get some palpable signs of some improvement, I think things can turn [around] very quickly," he said.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had no immediate16 reaction to the assessments18 Democrats received from the economists.

On the need for a second economic stimulus measure, Gibbs would only point to recent statistics, including unemployment numbers, saying they provide "a sobering reminder19" of the many economic challenges Americans face.


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1 economist AuhzVs     
n.经济学家,经济专家,节俭的人
参考例句:
  • He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
  • He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家,自以为什么都懂。
2 economists 2ba0a36f92d9c37ef31cc751bca1a748     
n.经济学家,经济专家( economist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
  • Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 democrat Xmkzf     
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。
4 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
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》
5 stimulus 3huyO     
n.刺激,刺激物,促进因素,引起兴奋的事物
参考例句:
  • Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
  • Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。
6 mar f7Kzq     
vt.破坏,毁坏,弄糟
参考例句:
  • It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
  • Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。
7 taxpayer ig5zjJ     
n.纳税人
参考例句:
  • The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
  • The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。
8 assailed cca18e858868e1e5479e8746bfb818d6     
v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对
参考例句:
  • He was assailed with fierce blows to the head. 他的头遭到猛烈殴打。
  • He has been assailed by bad breaks all these years. 这些年来他接二连三地倒霉。 来自《用法词典》
9 dealing NvjzWP     
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。
10 partisan w4ZzY     
adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒
参考例句:
  • In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中,他们忘掉一切党派之争。
  • The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。
11 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
12 bleak gtWz5     
adj.(天气)阴冷的;凄凉的;暗淡的
参考例句:
  • They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
  • The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。
13 unemployed lfIz5Q     
adj.失业的,没有工作的;未动用的,闲置的
参考例句:
  • There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
  • The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。
14 labor P9Tzs     
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
参考例句:
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
15 aggregate cKOyE     
adj.总计的,集合的;n.总数;v.合计;集合
参考例句:
  • The football team had a low goal aggregate last season.这支足球队上个赛季的进球总数很少。
  • The money collected will aggregate a thousand dollars.进帐总额将达一千美元。
16 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
17 stimulative 3d1951975f2e5000b4a8b7b87d3ffba4     
n.刺激,促进因素adj.刺激的,激励的,促进的
参考例句:
  • Do you want to enjoy the absolutely stimulative experience? 你想享受魔兽游戏带来的绝对刺激的体验吗? 来自互联网
  • Discussed follow pattern of demand, the way that stimulative technology progresses. 探讨了遵循供求规律,促进技术进步的途径。 来自互联网
18 assessments 7d0657785d6e5832f8576c61c78262ef     
n.评估( assessment的名词复数 );评价;(应偿付金额的)估定;(为征税对财产所作的)估价
参考例句:
  • He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明,约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评;而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句
19 reminder WkzzTb     
n.提醒物,纪念品;暗示,提示
参考例句:
  • I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
  • It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知,她才付应该交的房租。

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