Political Differences Cloud Obama Job Proposals

 　　President Barack Obama's speech on the U.S. economy is just the latest in a long history of government proposals to stimulate¹ economies and put people back to work. But with the U.S. economy expanding much slower than expected, and a political climate focused on spending cuts, some analysts² doubt the government can improve the nation's economic landscape. Mil Arcega reports.

　　With nearly 14 million Americans out of work, some question whether President Barack Obama's jobs proposals can have a significant impact on hiring.

　　The president said earlier this month in Detroit that the outcome depends on Congress.

　　"There is work to be done and there are workers ready to do it.  Labor's on board, business is on board, we just need Congress to get on board.  Let's put America back to work!," he said.

　　But Republican leaders voiced objections even before the president's speech.

　　Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

　　"There's a much simpler reason to oppose the president's economic policies that has nothing whatsoever³ to do with politics -- they don't work," McConnell said.

　　Some analysts see politics as the problem.   Vincent Reinhart is an economist⁴ at the American Enterprise Institute.

　　"The reason we're so inefficient⁵ right now is the political system drove us here; voters are incoherent in terms of what they want from the government for themselves and what they want for everybody else.  And until we come to, figure out some way to rationalize all that, we're not going back to the high growth rates," Reinhart said.

　　Others say the nation's obsession⁶ with deficit⁷ reduction makes matters worse.  Labor economist Gary Burtless says growing the economy will require more spending, not less.

　　"I do think that the deficit and the rising debt of the United States represents a problem -- it's a long term problem and the solutions they have adopted, I think, are going to make that long term problem worse, because without the economy growing robustly⁸, we won't have a manageable debt problem," Burtless said.

　　Many analysts say debt reduction will likely take precedence over jobs in the coming months.  A bipartisan committee is now searching for ways to lower the federal deficit by more than a trillion dollars over the next 10 years.

　　With a November deadline fast approaching, Douglas Holtz-Eakin at the American Action Forum⁹ says the exercise will test America's political will. "The pressure will be on this committee not so much from a substantive¹⁰ point of view, but from a political point of view to prove that Washington still has some value to this country and that the legislative¹¹ process still works to some extent.  That, I think, is what makes this difficult," Holtz-Eakin said.

　　Even if the president gets everything he wants, some estimates suggest unemployment could remain above 8 percent until after 2014. Gary Burtless says the rate might be higher next year.

　　"I'd love to be wrong, but I don't think I will be, and I think it's more likely to be higher a year from today than it is to be lower a year from today," Burtless said.

　　Analysts say continuing high unemployment could hurt the president's election chances in 2012.

1 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

4 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

5 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

6 obsession   

n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感)

参考例句：

• I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
• She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。

7 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。

8 robustly   

adv.要用体力地，粗鲁地

参考例句：

• These three hormones also robustly stimulated thymidine incorporation and inhibited drug-induced apoptosis. 并且这三种激素有利于胸（腺嘧啶脱氧核）苷掺入和抑制药物诱导的细胞凋亡。 来自互联网
• The economy is still growing robustly, but inflation, It'seems, is back. 经济依然强劲增长，但是通胀似乎有所抬头。 来自互联网

9 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

10 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

11 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。