VOA标准英语 Obama Refocuses on Economy After Foreign Trip

After a whirlwind international trip that included three summits, President Obama was back at work at the White House Thursday.
　
Treasury¹ Secretary Timothy Geithner looks on as President Barack Obama makes remarks on housing refinancing at the White House, 9 April 2009

"It is good to be back. We have had a productive week working to advance America's interests around the world," he said.

The president quickly refocused on the economy, urging Americans to take advantage of low interest rates to refinance their home mortgages.

Mr. Obama also announced new steps to improve health care for military veterans and to address the growing number of vets² who are homeless.

"And we will not rest until we reach a day when not one single veteran falls into homelessness," he said.

Many of the president's priorities are contained in a budget plan recently approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

But Mr. Obama's return to his domestic agenda also brings a reminder³ that not a single Republican supported his budget largely because of fears that the plan spends too much, taxes too much and will lead to a much larger deficit⁴.
　
US Congressman⁵ Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.

Among those Republicans leading the opposition⁶ to the Obama budget is Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

"America is in the midst of a fiscal⁷ and an economic crisis. And yes, the president did inherit this fiscal crisis," he said. "But the question is, is he fixing it or is he making it worse?"

Many Democrats⁸ are just as adamant⁹ in their support of the president, despite his promise in last year's presidential campaign to find ways to work with Republicans.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sees the budget battle as a clash of two parties with different priorities for the country's future.
　
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi applauds during news conference with Rep. George Miller¹⁰ and Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar, in US Capitol, 13 Feb 2009

"The American people want us to find our common ground where we can, but they did not send us here to split the difference. They want real change and we have come here to make a difference, and we will do just that," she said.

The president returned from his foreign trip energized¹¹ by new polls that showed a bump up in his approval ratings - up to 66 percent in two new polls.

Quinnipiac University pollster Peter Brown says so far Mr. Obama appears to have the upper hand in the budget battle.

"The Republicans have tried to make the argument that he is trying to do too many things at once. A majority of Americans don't think that. They think there are a lot of things that have to be taken care of, and they like the fact that he is attacking many problems at once," he said.

Brown says result poll results indicate most Americans are willing to give Mr. Obama some time to turn the economy around.

"If people think the economy is better and they think their lives are better, then President Obama will be in very good shape. If after a period of time, whatever it is, six months, a year, two years, they judge that he has not been able to turn things around, then one would likely see that his approval numbers will come down," said Brown.

Former journalist turned political analyst¹² Richard Wolffe predicts the president has about a year to show progress on the economy before the public might turn on him.

Wolffe spoke¹³ on VOA's Issues in the News program.

"If the economy doesn't show signs of life, I would say by the spring of next year at the latest, this administration's going to be in serious trouble," said Wolffe.

Mr. Obama wants Congress to deal with health care and education reform in the months ahead, as well as the need to make the United States more energy independent.

The New York Times reports the administration will also address the divisive issue of illegal immigration in the weeks ahead, further complicating¹⁴ the president's congressional agenda.

1 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 vets   

abbr.veterans （复数）老手，退伍军人；veterinaries （复数）兽医n.兽医( vet的名词复数 )；老兵；退伍军人；兽医诊所v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的第三人称单数 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
• In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网

3 reminder   

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。

4 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。

5 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

6 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。

7 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。

8 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》

9 adamant   

adj.坚硬的，固执的

参考例句：

• We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。
• Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。

10 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

11 energized   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的过去式和过去分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• We are energized by love if we put our energy into loving. 如果我们付出能量去表现爱意，爱就会使我们充满活力。 来自辞典例句
• I am completely energized and feeling terrific. 我充满了活力，感觉非常好。 来自辞典例句

12 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

13 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

14 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。