The U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says the unemployment rate may go above its current 25-year high of 8.5 percent, but says the United States and other countries must keep moving forward in making steps toward economic recovery.
美国财政部长盖特纳说，失业率可能超过目前8.5%的25年最高点。但他同时指出，美国和其他国家必须继续采取步骤，推动经济复苏。
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says there are some encouraging signs about the economy, but he was quick to temper expectations. Geithner says the typical pattern of an economic turnaround dictates that only when businesses start to hire again will there be a peak in unemployment.
财政部长盖特纳说，经济方面有一些令人鼓舞的迹象，不过他很快话锋一转，调降人们的期望值。盖特纳说，经济回转的典型模式意味着，在各公司再度开始招聘之前，失业率将会达到顶峰。
Geithner, who appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" program, called it the "crude reality" of recoveries. "It took us a long time to get here. It is going to take some time for us to work through this. Progress is not going to be even. There is going to be a period where it is going to feel very bad still and very uncertain. And that is again why it is so important that we just keep moving," he said.
他说：“我们走到目前这种境况用了很长时间。我们渡过这个局面也需要一些时间。进展不会是均衡的。还会有一段让人感到很糟糕而且很不确定的时期。而这就是为什么我们持续行动是如此重要。”
Secretary Geithner pointed to mortgage interest rates being at their lowest in history as a positive development. He says this will allow U.S. homeowners to take advantage of the low rates and refinance their homes.
盖特纳指出，房屋贷款利率处在历史最低点是个利好的发展，这使美国的房主们能够利用低利率，将他们的房屋重新贷款。
Geithner also defended President Barack Obama's decision last week to oust the chairman of ailing U.S. automaker General Motors. Critics accused the Obama administration of holding a double standard by being more lenient on financial institutions also receiving federal assistance.
盖特纳还为奥巴马总统上星期让困境中的美国通用汽车公司的首席执行官辞职的决定进行了辩护。批评者指责奥巴马政府采用双重标准，对同样接受联邦救助的金融机构比较宽容。
Geithner said there will be strong conditions for any company requiring additional taxpayer money. "If in the future, banks need exceptional assistance in order to get through this, then we will make sure that assistance comes with conditions, not just to protect the taxpayer, but to make sure this is the kind of restructuring necessary for them to emerge stronger. And where that requires a change of management of the board, we will do that," he said.
盖特纳说，对任何要求得到额外的纳税人钱款的公司都有严格的条件。盖特纳说：“如果将来银行需要额外的援助来渡过难关，我们要确保这种援助附加条件，不仅是为了保护纳税人，而且也是确保这些银行为了更强壮而进行必要的重组。只要需要变动董事会的管理层，我们都会这样做。”
Geithner noted the government overhauled the boards of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and insurance company AIG.
盖特纳指出，政府改组了房地产贷款巨头房利美和房地美以及保险公司美国国际集团(AIG)的董事会。
Geithner says he wants to help General Motors do whatever works to restructure, even if it means filing for bankruptcy, and emerge stronger from the recession.
盖特纳说，他想帮助通用汽车公司采取任何可行措施进行重组，即使这意味着申请破产，以便让它在衰退之后，变得更强有力。
New GM chief Fritz Henderson agreed, saying bankruptcy might be the best alternative. "As I look at the situation, we need to accomplish a set of goals, and accomplishing those ... cannot be compromised. So if it cannot be done outside of a bankruptcy process, it will be done within it," he said.
新的通用公司领导人亨德森赞同盖特纳的意见。他表示，破产可能是最佳替代方法。亨德森说：“在我审视目前形势的时候，我们需要实现一整套目标，那是不容妥协的。所以，如果这不能在破产程序之外做到，就要在破产程序之内去做了。”
Henderson, appearing on NBC, said General Motors is building a plan around four core brands and hopes to improve the quality of its vehicles to regain the confidence of the American consumer.
亨德森在美国全国广播公司节目上露面时说，通用汽车正在制定一项关于4个主要品牌的计划，希望改进车辆的质量，以重新赢得美国消费者的信心。 |