Biden's budget proposal shifts to new priorities

Biden's budget proposal shifts to new priorities

　　Transcript¹

　　Democratic strategist Dan Sena speaks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about President Biden's new $5.8 trillion budget proposal.

　　STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

　　President Biden offered a $5.8 trillion budget proposal, which includes small parts of his signature policy agenda, the climate and social safety net bill that he called Build Back Better, which stalled in Congress. Biden's plan also calls to increase funding for the military, increase funding for police, and increase funding for affordable² housing, along with a new minimum tax on billionaires and support for Ukraine. Let's talk this through with Democratic strategist Dan Sena. Good morning.

　　DAN SENA: Good morning.

　　INSKEEP: More military spending, more police spending - is that more in line with what voters expect in this election year?

　　SENA: Well, I think this does a very good job - I think the president's agenda does a very good job of really setting up a frame and a narrative³ for where he wants to take the country not only going forward, but in particular as we head into the midterms.

　　INSKEEP: Let's talk about one of those items - increased funding for police, especially. Biden, we should note, never favored defund the police, but he was lied about because some progressive Democrats⁴ did favor defunding the police, very much so. Is this a definite break with the more progressive wing of his party?

　　SENA: Well, I don't think it is. And if you look at some of the prior recovery - if you look at the prior recovery bill that was passed in early 2000, there was actually a fair amount of police funding in that initial bill. And so the Democrats in some ways have fallen victim to the Republican sort of campaign message machine. And I think this helped set the record straight and, frankly⁵, deals with rising crime that the vast majority of mayors in midsize and urban cities are having to deal with across the country. So this is meeting the electorate⁶ where they are.

　　INSKEEP: This is facing something that voters are really concerned about. You can talk about the statistics, about whether they're historically low or not, but people are concerned about crime.

　　SENA: One hundred percent. It is by far one of the top issues coming out of the pandemic.

　　INSKEEP: Is it politically smart to deemphasize things like climate legislation?

　　SENA: Well, I think it's more a function of choices as we enter the election cycle of the year - of this year, and really also forcing the Republican side to have to make choices of their own and go on the record on their own on some of these key issues.

　　INSKEEP: What do you mean by that?

　　SENA: Well, I think as this debate plays out over the budget, whether it's over the billionaires tax or it's over funding for security or it's over funding for housing, you know, the Republicans themselves are going to have to go on the record as to whether or not they support this budget.

　　INSKEEP: Let's talk through the housing part. Affordable housing - sounds like something that people might really sympathize with because housing prices are out of control, or it sounds like something that might be cast as a giveaway to somebody. What are the politics of that?

　　SENA: Well, again, in prior recovery legislation, there was a fair amount of money that had been set aside for mortgage support and for rental⁷ support. And so this is a continuation of that. I can tell you, in polling that we have seen across the country, the ability to keep people in their homes and the anxiety around being able to pay their rent is at an all-time high. So this meets voters where they are and meets people with what they need.

　　INSKEEP: Does a call for higher military spending meet people where they are?

　　SENA: Well, I think for the first time in at least many people's new - in lifetimes, you know, we're looking at the potential of a new Cold War. And I think that that is raising the level of concern not only for Democrats, independents, but really for every American. So, again, I think this meets people where they are.

　　INSKEEP: Now, you said something about Republicans being challenged by this. What is the choice that Republicans will now face - at least the choice that Democrats would like to push on them?

　　SENA: That's a great question. I really think the Republicans are going to be forced to have to choose, what side are they on? Are they on the side to fund to keep communities safe? Are they on the side of taxing billionaires or an equity⁸ - an equitable⁹ tax system? Are they on the side of really reining¹⁰ in spending and setting up a long-term way to reduce the deficit¹¹ in the country, which is what this budget does? And they're going to have to go on the record for that.

　　INSKEEP: That's a really interesting point, because the way that policy debates, so-called, have gone for the last decade or more is one side proposes something and the other side says absolutely not. We're unanimously against that. Republicans have made that a signature move. Is it possible that on a couple of these items, there could be an actual policy debate, that Democrats say, I want better policing in this way, and Republicans respond, no, we want better policing in this other way, and they actually compete for ideas?

　　SENA: Well, I think that's, in part, part of the hope here. But to be honest with you, as we set up going into the midterms this year and we get ready for November, politically speaking, setting up the contrast between what the Democrats are willing to deliver for Americans and what Republicans are willing to deliver for Americans, I think will, in the end, net result, benefit the Democrats.

　　INSKEEP: Dan Sena, thanks very much for your insights. Really appreciate it.

　　SENA: Thank you, sir.

　　INSKEEP: He's a Democratic strategist.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 affordable   

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。

3 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

4 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》

5 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

6 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

7 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

8 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

9 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

10 reining   

勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的现在分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理

参考例句：

• "That's a fine bevy, Ma'm,'said Gerald gallantly, reining his horse alongside the carriage. "太太！好一窝漂亮的云雀呀！" 杰拉尔德殷勤地说，一面让自己的马告近塔尔顿的马车。
• I was a temperamental genius in need of reining in by stabler personalities. 我是个需要由更稳重的人降服住的神经质的天才。

11 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。