VOA标准英语2012--US Business Leaders Press Congress for Debt Deal
时间:2018-12-16 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2012年(十二月)
US Business Leaders Press Congress for Debt Deal
Business leaders are pressing Congress for action, and the White House summoned ordinary Americans as Washington heads toward steep automatic tax hikes and spending cuts. Democrats 1 and Republicans have failed for the past year to prevent this so-called fiscal 2 cliff from going into effect January 1. Members of the business community were on Capitol Hill to deliver a stern message: reach a deal to reduce the federal deficit 3 now, or face ugly economic consequences next year.
“Politics has to go aside. That is what we are telling them,” . National Small Business Association Chairman Chris Holman told reporters.
Inaction on the debt will be costly 4, according to insurance executive Mark Bertolini.
“We are 802 hours away from having a big problem that will send the economy into recession and put people out of work. And we do not want to see that happen,” he said.
By contrast, a deficit-reduction pact 5 would boost economic confidence.
“Investment hates uncertainty 6. And as soon as that is resolved, you will see the economy begin to kick [expand] again,” Holman said.
But Washington’s partisan 7 stand-off on deficit reduction remains 8. Republicans warn of job losses if tax hikes on the wealthy favored by Democrats go into effect.
"The proposal the president has put forward to solve the fiscal cliff raises taxes on almost a million small businesses who employ 25 percent of the workforce," noted 9 Senator John Thune.
Democrats argue federal spending cuts advocated by Republicans will disproportionately harm the poor and the middle class.
"I will not sign onto a deal that throws the burden of deficit reduction right onto the backs of families and communities that have already sacrificed so much," warned Senator Patty Murray.
If no deal is struck, massive tax hikes and devastating 10 spending cuts that neither political party wants - the so-called “fiscal cliff” - will take effect in less than five weeks.
“We do not have a lot of time here,” warned President Barack Obama.
He says a typical family would have to pay more than $2000 in new taxes next year.
“That means less money for buying groceries, less money for filling prescriptions 11, less money for buying diapers,” Obama said.
The president brought a group of middle-class Americans to the White House to demand action on his proposals. But the president’s public outreach is drawing criticism from the Senate’s top Republican, Mitch McConnell.
“Rather than sitting down with lawmakers of both parties and working out an agreement, he [Obama] is back on the campaign trial, presumably with the same old talking points that we are all quite familiar with,” McConnell said.
But Americans are speaking out, including small business owner Cookie Driscoll, who says the United States is drowning in debt.
“It is a house of cards that is slowly coming down,” Driscoll said.
President Obama met with congressional leaders for initial debt consultations 12 two weeks ago. Since then, no face-to-face meetings have been held.
- 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》
- 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。
- 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。
- It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
- This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
- The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
- The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。
- Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
- After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后,压力开始产生影响了。
- 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。
- 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。
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
- It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
- Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。
- The hospital of traditional Chinese medicine installed a computer to fill prescriptions. 中医医院装上了电子计算机来抓药。
- Her main job was filling the doctor's prescriptions. 她的主要工作就是给大夫开的药方配药。
- Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》