Budgeting for a New Era of Responsibility(2)
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2010-02-22 01:23 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  This morning, I sent a budget to Congress for the coming year.  It's a budget that reflects the serious challenges facing the country.  We're at war.  Our economy has lost 7 million jobs over the last two years.  And our government is deeply in debt after what can only be described as a decade of profligacy1(放荡,挥霍) .

The fact is, 10 years ago, we had a budget surplus(预算盈余) of more than $200 billion, with projected surpluses stretching out toward the horizon.  Yet over the course of the past 10 years, the previous administration and previous Congresses created an expensive new drug program, passed massive tax cuts for the wealthy, and funded two wars without paying for any of it -– all of which was compounded by recession and by rising health care costs.  As a result, when I first walked through the door, the deficit2 stood at $1.3 trillion, with projected deficits3 of $8 trillion over the next decade.

If we had taken office during ordinary times, we would have started bringing down these deficits immediately.  But one year ago, our country was in crisis:  We were losing nearly 700,000 jobs each month, the economy was in a free fall(自由下落) , and the financial system was near collapse4.  Many feared another Great Depression.  So we initiated5(开始,发起) a rescue, and that rescue was not without significant cost; it added to the deficit as well.

One year later, because of the steps we've taken, we're in a very different place.  But we can't simply move beyond this crisis; we have to address the irresponsibility that led to it.  And that includes the failure to rein6 in spending, as well a reliance on borrowing –- from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street –- to fuel our growth.  That's what we have to change.  We have to do what families across America are doing:  Save where we can so that we can afford what we need.

Now, I think it's very important to understand:  We won't be able to bring down this deficit overnight, given that the recovery is still taking hold and families across the country still need help.  We will continue, for example, to do what it takes to create jobs.  That's reflected in my budget; it's essential.  The budget includes new tax cuts for people who invest in small businesses, tax credits for small businesses that hire new workers, investments that will create jobs repairing roads and bridges, and tax breaks for retrofitting(改装) homes to save energy.

We also continue to lay a new foundation for lasting7 growth, which is essential as well.  Just as it would be a terrible mistake to borrow against our children's future to pay our way today, it would be equally wrong to neglect their future by failing to invest in areas that will determine our economic success in this new century.

That's why we build on the largest investment in clean energy in history, as well as increase investment in scientific research, so that we are fostering(哺育,养育) the industries and jobs of the future right here in America.

That's why I've proposed a more than 6 percent increase in funding for the Education Department.  And this funding is tied to reforms that raise student achievement, inspire students to excel in(胜过,擅长) math and science, and turn around failing schools which consign8 too many young people to a lesser9 future -- because in the 21st century there is no better anti-poverty program than a world-class education.

And that's why we eliminate a wasteful10 subsidy11(津贴,补助) to banks that lend to college students, and use that money to revitalize(复活,复兴) community colleges and make college more affordable12.  This will help us reach the goal I've set for America:  By 2020 we will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

These are the investments we must make to create jobs and opportunity now and in the future.  And in a departure from the way business had been done in Washington, we actually show how we pay for these investments while putting our country on a more fiscally14(财政上) sustainable path.

I've proposed a freeze in government spending for three years.  This won't apply to the benefits folks get through Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare.  And it won't apply to our national security –- including benefits for veterans.  But it will apply to all other discretionary(任意的) government programs.  And we're not simply photocopying(复印,影印) last year's budget; freezing spending does not mean we won't cut what doesn't work to pay for what does.

We have gone through every department's spending line by line, item by item, looking for inefficiency15, #p#分页标题#e#duplication(复制,副本) , and programs that have outlived their usefulness.  That's how we freeze discretionary spending.  Last year, we found $17 billion in cuts.  This year, we've already found $20 billion.

Now, some of these cuts are just common sense.  For example, we cut $115 million from a program that pays states to clean up mines that have already been cleaned up.  We're also cutting a Forest Service economic development program that strayed(失散,闲荡) so far from any mission that it funded a music festival.  And we're saving $20 million by stopping the refurbishment of a Department of Energy science center that the Department of Energy does not want to refurbish(刷新,整修) .

Other cuts, though, are more painful, because the goals of the underlying16 programs are worthy17.  We eliminate one program that provides grants to do environmental clean up of abandoned buildings.  That's a mission I support, but there are other sources of private and public funds to achieve it.  We also eliminated a $120 million program that allows folks to get their Earned Income Tax Credit in advance.  I am a big supporter of the Earned Income Tax Credit.  The problem is 80 percent of people who got this advance didn't comply with one or more of the program's requirements.

So I'm willing to reduce waste in programs I care about, and I'm asking members of Congress to do the same.  I'm asking Republicans and Democrats18 alike to take a fresh look at programs they've supported in the past to see what's working and what's not, and trim(削减,修剪) back accordingly.
 
Like any business, we're also looking for ways to get more bang for our buck19, by promoting innovation and cutting red tape. For example, we consolidate20(巩固,联合) 38 separate education programs into 11.  And last fall, we launched the "SAVE Awards" to solicit21 ideas from federal employees about how make government more efficient and more effective.  I'm proud to say that a number of these ideas -- like allowing Social Security appointments to be made online -- made it into our budget.

I also want to note even though the Department of Defense22 is exempt23 from the budget freeze, it's not exempt from budget common sense.  It's not exempt from looking for savings24.  We save money by eliminating unnecessary defense programs that do nothing to keep us safe.  One example is the $2.5 billion that we're spending to build C-17 transport aircraft.  Four years ago, the Defense Department decided25 to cease production because it had acquired the number requested -- 180.  Yet every year since, Congress had provided unrequested money for more C-17s that the Pentagon doesn't want or need.  It's waste, pure and simple.

And there are other steps we're taking to rein in(放慢,控制) deficits.  I've proposed a fee on big banks to pay back taxpayers26 for the bailout.  We're reforming the way contracts are awarded, to save taxpayers billions of dollars.  And while we extend middle-class tax cuts in this budget, we will not continue costly27 tax cuts for oil companies, investment fund managers, and those making over $250,000 a year.  We just can't afford it.

Finally, changing spending-as-usual depends on changing politics-as-usual.  And that's why I've proposed a bipartisan fiscal13 commission:  a panel of Democrats and Republicans who would hammer out concrete deficit reduction proposals over the medium and long term, but would come up with those answers by a certain deadline.  I should point out, by the way, that is an idea that had strong bipartisan support, was originally introduced by Senators Gregg on the Republican side and Conrad on the Democratic side; had a lot of Republican cosponsors(共同赞助者) to the idea.  I hope that, despite the fact that it got voted down in the Senate, that both the Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and the Republican Leader in the House John Boehner go ahead and fully28 embrace what has been a bipartisan idea to get our arms around this budget.

That's also why we're restoring pay-as-you-go:  a simple rule that says Congress can't spend a dime29 without cutting a dime elsewhere.  This rule helped lead to the budget surpluses of the 1990s, and it's one of the most important steps we can take to restore fiscal discipline in Washington.

You can read more about the budget at budget.gov -- very easy to remember -- budget.gov.  But the bottom line is this:  We simply cannot continue to spend as if deficits don't have consequences; as if waste doesn't matter; as if the hard-earned tax dollars of the American people can be treated like Monopoly money; as if we can ignore this challenge for another generation.  We can't.

In order to meet this challenge, I welcome any idea, from Democrats and Republicans.  What I will not welcome -– what I reject -– is the same old grandstanding when the cameras are on, and the same irresponsible budget policies when the cameras are off.  It's time to hold Washington to the same standards families and businesses hold themselves.  It's time to save what we can, spend what we must, and live within our means once again.#p#分页标题#e#

Thanks very much.

END



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1 profligacy d368c1db67127748cbef7c5970753fbe     
n.放荡,不检点,肆意挥霍
参考例句:
  • Subsequently, this statement was quoted widely in the colony as an evidence of profligacy. 结果这句话成为肆意挥霍的一个例证在那块领地里传开了。 来自辞典例句
  • Recession, they reason, must be a penance for past profligacy. 经济衰退,他们推断,肯定是对过去大肆挥霍的赎罪。 来自互联网
2 deficit tmAzu     
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。
3 deficits 08e04c986818dbc337627eabec5b794e     
n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 );赤字;亏空;亏损
参考例句:
  • The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句
4 collapse aWvyE     
vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷
参考例句:
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。
5 initiated 9cd5622f36ab9090359c3cf3ca4ddda3     
n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始,创始,启蒙,介绍加入
参考例句:
  • He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
  • The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。
6 rein xVsxs     
n.疆绳,统治,支配;vt.以僵绳控制,统治
参考例句:
  • The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
  • He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。
7 lasting IpCz02     
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持
参考例句:
  • The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
  • We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。
8 consign uamyn     
vt.寄售(货品),托运,交托,委托
参考例句:
  • We cannot agree to consign the goods.我们不同意寄售此货。
  • We will consign the goods to him by express.我们将以快递把货物寄给他。
9 lesser UpxzJL     
adj.次要的,较小的;adv.较小地,较少地
参考例句:
  • Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
  • She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及,但程度较轻。
10 wasteful ogdwu     
adj.(造成)浪费的,挥霍的
参考例句:
  • It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
  • Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源,任务已经重新分派。
11 subsidy 2U5zo     
n.补助金,津贴
参考例句:
  • The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
  • The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。
12 affordable kz6zfq     
adj.支付得起的,不太昂贵的
参考例句:
  • The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
  • There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。
13 fiscal agbzf     
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。
14 fiscally 4217641d0ca8ff64c55ee7fbbbeaa396     
在国库方面,财政上,在国库岁入方面
参考例句:
  • Nor will fiscally stretched governments pump more money into the political equivalent of a leper colony. 财政吃紧的政府也不愿将更多的钱投入这个避之唯恐不及的政治瘟疫区。
  • We are more fiscally constrained, which forces us to work smarter and more efficiently. 与F-15相比我们资金上的限制更大了,美女类小游戏,这迫使我们更为精心和有效地工作。
15 inefficiency N7Xxn     
n.无效率,无能;无效率事例
参考例句:
  • Conflict between management and workers makes for inefficiency in the workplace. 资方与工人之间的冲突使得工厂生产效率很低。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • This type of inefficiency arises because workers and management are ill-equipped. 出现此种低效率是因为工人与管理层都能力不足。 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 underlying 5fyz8c     
adj.在下面的,含蓄的,潜在的
参考例句:
  • The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
  • This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。
17 worthy vftwB     
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
参考例句:
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
18 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
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》
19 buck ESky8     
n.雄鹿,雄兔;v.马离地跳跃
参考例句:
  • The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
  • The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。
20 consolidate XYkyV     
v.使加固,使加强;(把...)联为一体,合并
参考例句:
  • The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
  • The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。
21 solicit AFrzc     
vi.勾引;乞求;vt.请求,乞求;招揽(生意)
参考例句:
  • Beggars are not allowed to solicit in public places.乞丐不得在公共场所乞讨。
  • We should often solicit opinions from the masses.我们应该经常征求群众意见。
22 defense AxbxB     
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩
参考例句:
  • The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
  • The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
23 exempt wmgxo     
adj.免除的;v.使免除;n.免税者,被免除义务者
参考例句:
  • These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
  • He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。
24 savings ZjbzGu     
n.存款,储蓄
参考例句:
  • I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假,那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
  • By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时,他的存款已全部用完。
25 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
26 taxpayers 8fa061caeafce8edc9456e95d19c84b4     
纳税人,纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
  • She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。
27 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • 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。
28 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
29 dime SuQxv     
n.(指美国、加拿大的钱币)一角
参考例句:
  • A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
  • The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。
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