(单词翻译:单击)
We just learned the economy lost another 600,000 jobs last month. It's a staggering number, and it underscores just how deep this crisis is – and, as the President pointed1 out this morning, it’s accelerating.
That's why he created the Economic Recovery Advisory2 Board -- to solicit3 ideas from "beyond the echo chamber4 of Washington, DC."
"I’m not interested in groupthink, which is why the Board reflects a broad cross-section of experience, expertise5, and ideology6," he said. "We’ve recruited Republican and Democrats7; veterans of government and the private sector8; advocates for business and labor9. Not everyone is going to agree with each other, and not all of them are going to agree with me – and that’s precisely10 the point. Because we want to ensure that our policies have the benefit of independent thought and vigorous debate."
Before the President signed the executive order officially creating the board, he addressed the jobs numbers and brought home the individual pains behind those almost incomprehensibly large numbers.
"Somewhere in America, a small business has shut its doors; a family has said goodbye to their home; a young parent has lost their livelihood11, and doesn’t know what’s going to take its place," the President said.
Read the rest of his remarks below -- along with those of PERAB chairman Paul Volcker -- and the list of board members below that.
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY ADVISORY BOARD
East Room, The White House
February 6, 2009
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you. Please have a seat. (Applause.) Good morning, everybody.
AUDIENCE: Good morning.
THE PRESIDENT: I have just had the opportunity to welcome the members of my Economic Recovery Advisory Board. And I'm grateful that I will have the counsel of these extraordinarily12 talented and experienced men and women in the challenging months to come.
If there's anyone, anywhere, who doubts the need for wise counsel and bold and immediate13 action, just consider the very troubling news we received just this morning. Last month, another 600,000 Americans lost their jobs. That is the single worst month of job loss in 35 years. The Department of Labor also adjusted their job loss numbers for 2008 upwards14, and now report that we've lost 3.6 million jobs since this recession began.
That's 3.6 million Americans who wake up every day wondering how they are going to pay their bills, stay in their homes, and provide for their children. That's 3.6 million Americans who need our help.
I'm sure that at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, members of the Senate are reading these same numbers this morning. And I hope they share my sense of urgency and draw the same, unmistakable conclusion: The situation could not be more serious. These numbers demand action. It is inexcusable and irresponsible for any of us to get bogged15 down in distraction16, delay, or politics as usual, while millions of Americans are being put out of work.
Now is the time for Congress to act. It's time to pass an Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan to get our economy moving.
This is not some abstract debate. It is an urgent and growing crisis that can only be fully17 understood through the unseen stories that lie underneath18 each and every one of those 600,000 jobs that were lost this month. Somewhere in America a small business has shut its doors; somewhere in America a family has said goodbye to their home; somewhere in America a young parent has lost their livelihood -- and they don't know what's going to take its place.
These Americans are counting on us, all of us in Washington. We have to remember that we're here to work for them. And if we drag our feet and fail to act, this crisis could turn into a catastrophe19. We'll continue to get devastating20 job reports like today's -- month after month, year after year. It's very important to understand that, although we had a terrible year with respect to jobs last year, the problem is accelerating, not decelerating. It's getting worse, not getting better. Almost half of the jobs that were lost have been lost just in the last couple of months.
These aren't my assessments21 -- these are the assessments of independent economists23. If we don't do anything, millions more jobs will be lost. More families will lose their homes. More Americans will go without health care. We'll continue to send our children to crumbling24 schools, and be crippled by our dependence25 on foreign oil. That's the result of inaction. And it's not acceptable to the American people.
They did not choose more of the same in November. They did not send us to Washington to get stuck in partisan26 posturing27, to try to score political points. They did not send us here to turn back to the same tried and failed approaches that were rejected, because we saw the results. They sent us here to make change, with the expectation that we would act.
Now, I have repeatedly acknowledged that, given the magnitude and the difficulties of the problem we're facing, there are no silver bullets and there are no easy answers. The bill that's emerged from Congress is not perfect, but a bill is absolutely necessary. We can continue to improve and refine both the House and Senate versions of these bills. There may be provisions in there that need to be left out; there may be some provisions that need to be added. But broadly speaking, the package is the right size, it is the right scope, and it has the right priorities to create 3 to 4 million jobs and to do it in a way that lays the groundwork for long-term growth -- by fixing our schools, modernizing28 our health care to lower costs, repair our roads and bridges and levees and other vital infrastructure29, move us towards energy independence. That is what America needs. It will take months, even years, to renew our economy, but every day that Washington fails to act, that recovery is delayed.
Now, we also know that no single act can meet the challenges of this moment. This process is just the beginning of a long journey back to progress and growth and prosperity. Given the scope of this crisis, we'll need all hands on deck to figure out how we are going to move forward. And I'm pleased to have an extraordinary team of folks in my administration -- Tim Geithner at Treasury30, Larry Summers, Christina Romer, Peter Orszag -- they're all here in the White House. I also want to be sure that we're tapping a broad and diverse range of opinion from across the country, because a historic crisis demands a historic response. And that's why we took the unique step of creating the new institution whose members have gathered here today.
Put simply, I created this board to enlist31 voices to come from beyond the Washington echo chamber, to ensure that no stone is unturned as we work to put people back to work and get our economy moving.
Within this group, you've got leaders of manufacturing and leaders of finance. You've got labor and you've got management. You've got people who work in small businesses and people who work in large businesses. You've got some economists and some folks who think they're economists. (Laughter.) By the way, these days everybody thinks they're an economist22. (Laughter.) We will meet regularly so that I can hear different ideas and sharpen my own, and seek counsel that is candid32 and informed by the wider world.
The board is headed by Paul Volcker -- not only because he's the tallest among us -- (laughter) -- but because, by any measure, he is one of the world's foremost experts on the economy; one of the most experienced and insightful economic minds that we have. He's advised me for many months. He has helped steer33 the American economy through many twists and turns. Probably prior to this one, the worst economic crisis we had back in the early '80s, it was Paul Volcker who helped restore confidence and pull us out of that extraordinarily difficult time.
So I'm glad that Paul has decided34 to continue his public service at this critical moment. Assisting Paul and the rest of the board will be Austan Goolsbee, who's been one of my closest economic advisors35, one of the finest young economists that we have in the country. He's going to ensure that we are making the best possible use of this unique resource.
I'm not interested in groupthink, which is why the board reflects a broad cross-section of experience and expertise and ideology. We've recruited Republicans and Democrats, people who come out of the government as well as the private sector. Not everyone is going to agree with each other, and not all of them are going to agree with me -- and that's precisely the point, because we want to ensure that our policies have the benefit of independent thought and vigorous debate.
And we're also going to count on these men and women to serve as additional eyes and ears for me as we work to reverse this downturn. Many of them have ground-level views of the changes that are taking place, as they work across different sectors36 of the economy and different regions of the country, and they can help us see the trends that are not fully formed, the trouble that may be on the horizon, and the opportunities that have yet to be seized. I look forward to relying on their input37 and recommendations on specific questions as we jumpstart job creation and pursue strong and stable economic growth.
This new institution should send a signal of how seriously I take the responsibility of building an economic recovery that is broad and enduring. These are extraordinary times. For far too many Americans, the future is filled with unanswered questions: Can I get a job? Will my family be able to stay in their home? Will I be able to retire with dignity, and see my children lead a better life? And these are the questions that we will answer affirmatively during the course of this administration.
We are going to create the jobs that our people need and the future that this great nation deserves. Those are the challenges that I've put before my economic team, and these distinguished38 advisors will be tackling those same issues in the months and years to come.
So I'm grateful to them. And before I officially sign this executive order, I would like Paul just to say a quick word.
MR. VOLCKER: Well, thank you, Mr. President. I will say a very quick word. You've spoken about the variety of experience and talent you brought together. One thing I am sure they all share, we all share, is a sense of urgency, that you alluded39 to and emphasized. The figures this morning simply reenforce that. And I can't imagine that the Congress won't share this sense of urgency and you can get on the road toward the kind of program you want.
But thank you for the confidence that you've shown in all of us. We hope to help.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Paul. All right, let me get over there.
(The executive order is signed.) (Applause.)
The President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board
Chairman
Paul Volcker
Staff Director and Chief Economist
Austan Goolsbee
Members
William H. Donaldson, Chairman, SEC (2003-2005)
Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., President & CEO, TIAA-CREF
Robert Wolf, Chairman & CEO, UBS Group Americas
David F. Swensen, CIO, Yale University
Mark T. Gallogly, Founder40 & Managing Partner, Centerbridge Partners L.P.
Penny Pritzker, Chairman & Founder, Pritzker Realty Group
Jeffrey R. Immelt, CEO, GE
John Doerr, Partner, Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Jim Owens, Chairman and CEO, Caterpillar41 Inc.
Monica C. Lozano, Publisher & Chief Executive Officer, La Opinion
Charles E. Phillips, Jr., President, Oracle42 Corporation
Anna Burger, Chair, Change to Win
Richard L. Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO
Laura D'Andrea Tyson, Dean, Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley
Martin Feldstein, George F. Baker Professor of Economics, Harvard University
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pointed
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adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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advisory
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adj.劝告的,忠告的,顾问的,提供咨询 | |
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solicit
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vi.勾引;乞求;vt.请求,乞求;招揽(生意) | |
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chamber
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n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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expertise
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n.专门知识(或技能等),专长 | |
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ideology
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n.意识形态,(政治或社会的)思想意识 | |
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democrats
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n.民主主义者,民主人士( democrat的名词复数 ) | |
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sector
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n.部门,部分;防御地段,防区;扇形 | |
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labor
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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 | |
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precisely
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adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地 | |
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livelihood
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n.生计,谋生之道 | |
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extraordinarily
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adv.格外地;极端地 | |
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immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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upwards
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adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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bogged
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adj.陷于泥沼的v.(使)陷入泥沼, (使)陷入困境( bog的过去式和过去分词 );妨碍,阻碍 | |
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distraction
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n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐 | |
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fully
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adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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underneath
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adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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catastrophe
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n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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devastating
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adj.毁灭性的,令人震惊的,强有力的 | |
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assessments
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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 | |
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economist
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n.经济学家,经济专家,节俭的人 | |
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economists
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n.经济学家,经济专家( economist的名词复数 ) | |
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crumbling
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adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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dependence
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n.依靠,依赖;信任,信赖;隶属 | |
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partisan
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adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒 | |
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posturing
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做出某种姿势( posture的现在分词 ) | |
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modernizing
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使现代化,使适应现代需要( modernize的现在分词 ); 现代化,使用现代方法 | |
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infrastructure
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n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施 | |
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treasury
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n.宝库;国库,金库;文库 | |
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enlist
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vt.谋取(支持等),赢得;征募;vi.入伍 | |
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candid
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adj.公正的,正直的;坦率的 | |
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steer
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vt.驾驶,为…操舵;引导;vi.驾驶 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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advisors
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n.顾问,劝告者( advisor的名词复数 );(指导大学新生学科问题等的)指导教授 | |
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sectors
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n.部门( sector的名词复数 );领域;防御地区;扇形 | |
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n.输入(物);投入;vt.把(数据等)输入计算机 | |
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distinguished
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adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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alluded
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提及,暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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Founder
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n.创始者,缔造者 | |
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caterpillar
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n.毛虫,蝴蝶的幼虫 | |
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oracle
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n.神谕,神谕处,预言 | |
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