VOA常速英语2008年-Bush, Democrats Promote Conflicting Economic Pl

By Kent Klein
Washington
29 March 2008

Republicans and Democrats¹ agree that help is needed for the sagging² U.S. housing market and the ailing³ American economy in general. But President Bush and a Democratic lawmaker have made it clear they differ on what kind of help is needed. VOA's Kent Klein reports from Washington.

The year's first major government effort to strengthen the U.S economy quickly passed both houses of Congress last month and was signed by President Bush. The legislation is intended to give Americans more money to spend, by providing about $168 billion in tax rebates⁴ and business incentives⁵.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush said he believes the part of the initiative which gives business owners tax breaks for investing in new equipment this year will be especially helpful to the economy. "As more businesses begin taking advantage of these incentives, investment will pick up and so will job creation. And together with the individual tax rebates, these incentives will help give our economy a shot in the arm," he said.

The Bush administration has also proposed giving the U.S. central bank sweeping⁶ new powers to more tightly regulate the country's financial industry. One provision of the plan would give the Federal Reserve the power to examine the books of financial institutions whose problems could threaten the nation's economic stability. Democrats are also calling for tougher supervision⁷ of Wall Street and the mortgage lending industry.

Differences between the two parties appear in their approaches to strengthening the U.S. housing market. Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both backing a $30 billion proposal for the government to refinance mortgages for up to two million homeowners who are in danger of defaulting on their loans.

Representative Bill Foster, elected in a special vote three weeks ago, said in the Democrats' radio address that his party's plan will help a large number of at-risk homeowners. "Next week, the House of Representatives will continue to work on a comprehensive plan to help families who are on the brink⁸ of losing their homes. Our plan will help more families avoid foreclosure and give cities the chance to rehabilitate⁹ foreclosed homes and put them back on the market," he said.

Republicans say the Democratic plan is irresponsible, and amounts to a bailout. President Bush says he will veto that proposal. "The problems in the housing market are complicated, and there is no easy solution. But by supporting responsible homeowners with wise policies, we will help them weather a difficult period. We will help get our economy back on track, and we will ensure (that) America remains¹⁰ the most prosperous nation in the world," he said.

In his Saturday address, Mr. Bush promoted two of his administration's policies to help homeowners. Under a voluntary program called Hope Now, participating lenders freeze at-risk borrowers' interest rates at a low level. Another program, called FHA Secure, helps credit-worthy borrowers refinance so-called subprime mortgages that have a low introductory interest rate but later re-set at higher rates.

1 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》

2 sagging   

下垂[沉，陷]，松垂，垂度

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is continuously sagging. 敌军的士气不断低落。
• We are sagging south. 我们的船正离开航线向南漂流。

3 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

4 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

5 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

7 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

8 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

9 rehabilitate   

vt.改造(罪犯)，修复；vi.复兴，(罪犯)经受改造

参考例句：

• There was no money to rehabilitate the tower.没有资金修复那座塔。
• He used exercise programmes to rehabilitate the patients.他采用体育锻炼疗法使患者恢复健康。

10 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。