2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Delivers Upbeat Assessment of US Economy

By Scott Stearns
White House
31 January 2007

watch Jim Fry's Economy report

President George Bush has delivered an upbeat assessment¹ of the U.S. economy. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, the president went to New York's financial district Wednesday in an effort to focus attention on domestic issues as the war in Iraq drags down his public approval ratings.

President Bush speaking at Federal Hall in New York (31 Jan 2007)

President Bush says the state of America's economy is strong.

"As we begin this new year, America's businesses and entrepreneurs are creating new jobs every day," he said. " Workers are making more money. Their paychecks are going further. Consumers are confident. Investors² are optimistic."

In a speech to political and corporate³ leaders in New York's Wall Street financial district, President Bush outlined his plans for the U.S. economy.

He wants Congress to extent his authority to negotiate trade deals with other nations. Mr. Bush says the best way to improve U.S. exports and help people in other countries is to complete the Doha round of world trade talks.

"The Doha round is a chance to level the playing field for our goods and services, in other words so we can be treated fairly in foreign markets, but it also has a great opportunity to lift millions of people out of poverty around the world," he said.

The global trade talks opened in Doha six years ago, but have stalled over a dispute between the United States and the European Union on farm subsidies⁴.

President Bush wants Congress to make permanent his record tax cuts and balance the budget, which he says he can do by restraining spending, changing legislative⁵ appropriations⁶, and reforming federal retirement⁷ and health care entitlements.

The president says he will send Congress a budget next week that will reduce the deficit⁸ over the next five years and produce a balanced budget by 2012 while continuing what he says are pro-growth economic policies.

"Productivity is strong, and that is translating into higher wages," said President Bush. "When people across the world look at America's economy, what they see is low inflation, low unemployment, and the fastest growth of any major industrialized nation. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the United States. There is one undisputed leader in the world in terms of economy and that is the United States of America."

Unemployment is now below five percent with more than seven million new jobs since August of 2003. But the economy has also lost more than three million manufacturing jobs during the Bush Administration.

A public opinion poll by Newsweek magazine says two-thirds of Americans disapprove⁹ of the way the president is doing his job. Much of that displeasure comes from opposition¹⁰ to the war in Iraq.

That conflict remains¹¹ at the forefront of American politics as Mr. Bush seeks to focus more on domestic issues with speeches in the last week on energy in Delaware, health care in Missouri and trade in Illinois.

A CNN poll says 38 percent of Americans believe it is extremely important for the president to deal with the economy. Nearly 60 percent believe it is extremely important for him to deal with Iraq.

1 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

4 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

6 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

7 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。

8 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。

9 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。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。