Obama to Propose Deficit Cuts of Over $1.5 Trillion

 　　Concluding a three-day bus tour of key midwestern states, President Barack Obama said he will propose that a bipartisan congressional committee find more than $1.5 trillion in additional spending cuts, a level set in the recent debt and deficit² compromise.

　　Obama used town hall events in Atkinson and Alpha in his home state of Illinois to reinforce messages he delivered to voters during this midwest tour.

　　The president has spoken of a broken political system in Washington, blamed Republicans for resisting a larger debt and deficit compromise, and urged Americans to increase pressure on all members of Congress.

　　"There is nothing wrong with our country right now," said President Obama. "There is something wrong with our politics."

　　Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidates have stepped up their criticisms of the president, including Republican front-runner, former Massachusetts governor Mitt¹ Romney, and Texas Governor Rick Perry.

　　"He and his academic and political friends don't understand what it takes to get this economy going again," said Romney.

　　"Mr. president, America's crisis is not bad luck, it's bad policies from Washington, D.C.," said Perry.

　　Republican candidates and Republicans in Congress have criticized Obama for failing to provide a specific plan for bringing down 9 percent unemployment. But that will change in early September.

　　Obama will deliver a major policy speech after the Labor³ Day holiday in which he will lay out specific proposals to strengthen economic recovery, including jobs initiatives, infrastructure⁴ projects, and tax proposals.

　　In Illinois, the president again mentioned the need for Congress to extend payroll⁵ tax cuts, and pass free trade agreements to help boost the economy and create jobs.

　　He also made clear he intends to propose more ambitious spending cut goals to be considered by a bipartisan congressional committee which must make its recommendations by November.

　　"When this committee comes forward I am going to making a presentation that has more deficit reduction than the $1.5 trillion that they have been assigned to obtain," said Obama.

　　Obama said he will continue to call for a mix of spending cuts and new revenue, saying "everything is going to be on the table" in efforts to achieve balanced deficit reduction.

　　At a town hall in Atkinson, Illinois, Obama heard some of the deep frustrations⁶ people have with the economy, including LuAnn Lavine who works in real estate.

　　"Since the debt ceiling fiasco in Washington, the phones have stopped. We have no consumer confidence after what has happened," said Lavine.

　　Republicans are predicting that Obama's September speech will be little more than a re-run of existing proposals. A spokesman for House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said the country needs a plan, not another speech.

　　But there are also clear signs that Republican leaders recognize potential negative effects from a continuation of political bickering⁷ with Obama and Democrats⁸.

　　In a memo⁹ to House Republicans, Majority Leader Eric Cantor said they should avoid "brinksmanship" and work to "minimize unnecessary uncertainty¹⁰" and urged support for the so-called congressional "super committee".

1 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

2 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。

3 labor   

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

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

6 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

7 bickering   

v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁

参考例句：

• The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。
• The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

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 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• 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。