President-elect Barack Obama says he will move swiftly to improve the U.S. economy and promote long-term growth upon taking office next month. Congressional leaders are working with the White House to craft a government package to rescue the failing U.S. auto industry.
美国当选总统奥巴马说，他在下个月就职后会为了改善美国经济，推动长期增长而迅速行动。国会领导人正在和白宫合作，草拟政府计划，以挽救美国衰退的汽车业。
Throughout the campaign season, then-candidate Barack Obama promised to overhaul U.S. economic policy and combat the effects of what was commonly described as an "economic downturn".
奥巴马在整个竞选期间保证要改变美国的经济政策，阻止人们常说的“经济下滑”的影响。
Since winning the November election, the president-elect has seen the economy go from bad to worse. The United States has officially entered a recession, with massive job losses, continued home foreclosures, and extreme market volatility.
自从赢得11月份的大选以来，当选总统奥巴马看到经济状况更加恶化。美国正式进入了衰退，就业机会大幅减少，住房继续被没收，市场极为动荡。
Unprecedented federal spending has neither eliminated a severe credit crunch nor stemmed the tide of major corporations in need of government intervention to stay afloat.
史无前例的联邦支出既没有消除严重的信贷困境，也没有遏制大公司为维持经营寻求政府介入的趋向。
Mr. Obama acknowledged the increasingly dire nature of the situation in an interview on NBC's Meet The Press program.
在全国广播公司“会见新闻界”的访谈节目中，奥巴马承认，局面越来越困难。
"This is a big problem, and it is going to get worse," said Barack Obama. "My number-one priority coming in is making sure that we have got an economic recovery plan that is equal to the task."
奥巴马说：“这是个大问题，问题还会恶化。我上任后的头等大事是确保我们有一个能够解决当前问题的经济复兴计划。”
In recent days, the president-elect has outlined an ambitious plan to put Americans back to work by rebuilding the country's infrastructure and making the United States more energy efficient. The estimated price tag, in the hundreds of billions of dollars, would come on top of a $700-billion financial rescue package Congress approved in October.
在最近几天，当选总统奥巴马提出了一个宏伟计划的大纲，要通过重建美国的基础设施和让美国更加高效的使用能源的方式，来让美国人重新就业。这项计划估计耗资几千亿美元，这还不算国会10月份通过的金融拯救计划所需的7千亿美元。
"The key for us is making sure that we jumpstart the economy in a way that does not just deal with the short term, does not just create jobs immediately, but also puts us on a glide path for long term sustainable economic growth," said Mr. Obama.
奥巴马说：“关键是我们必须快速启动经济，不只是应付短期问题，不只是立即产生就业，而是要让我们走向长期可持续性经济增长的道路。”
Of immediate concern is the fate of U.S. automakers, which are asking for billions of dollars in emergency government loans to stave off bankruptcy.
目前最迫切的事是关于美国汽车制造商的命运问题，这些制造商正在为避免倒闭寻求政府给予数十亿美元的紧急贷款。
Mr. Obama noted the importance of automobile manufacturing to the U.S. economy, but said in return for federal assistance the industry must embrace reform, become more competitive, and show it can be profitable.
奥巴马指出汽车制造业对美国经济的重要性，但是他说，为了获得联邦援助，汽车制造业必须实行改革，变得更有竞争力，并且显示他们以后可以盈利。
Congressional leaders have been negotiating with the White House over the size of a rescue loan and the source of the funding.
国会领导人和白宫最近一直在救援贷款的规模和资金来源的问题上进行协商。
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Michigan Democratic Senator Carl Levin expressed optimism that an agreement will be forthcoming.
密西根州的民主党参议员利文在“星期天福克斯新闻”节目上对即将达成一致表示表示乐观。
"I am very confident that there will be a deal and that it will happen within 24 hours," said Senator Levin. "There is a common understanding that this is a global problem that has created the loss of sales by auto industries around the world. This is not just a unique American problem, and every other government that produces automobiles that I know of is providing loans to their auto industries."
利文说：“我非常有信心会达成协定，而且会在24小时之内达成。大家一致认为这是一个全球性问题，已经造成全世界汽车业销售损失。这不仅仅是美国的问题，我了解的是，其他每个制造汽车的国家的政府都在为他们的汽车业提供贷款。”
But Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby opposes federal intervention, saying he does not believe restructuring plans put forth by carmakers are adequate to assure long term viability.
但是阿拉巴马州共和党参议员谢尔比反对联邦政府介入。他说，他不相信汽车制造商提出的改造计划能够确保它们可以长期生存。
"I think this is a bridge loan to nowhere," said Senator Shelby. "This is a down payment on many billions to come. We would like to save them, but they have got to save themselves, and I do not believe they are willing to save themselves. They could be restructured the right way, and they do not want to do that."
谢尔比说：“我认为贷款不会有任何作用。他们以后会不断要求几百亿，几百亿美元的贷款，目前要求的只不过是付的头款而已。我们想挽救他们，但是他们必须自救，我认为他们不愿意自救。他们可以用正确的方式来改造他们的公司，但是他们不想那样做。”
Appearing on CNN, General Motors' top executive (Rick Wagoner) admitted that his corporation's business model - which emphasized trucks and other large vehicles over smaller, more fuel-efficient ones - was lacking.
通用汽车公司的高级主管在美国有线电视新闻网上承认，他的公司的经营模式并不重视小型和高效使用燃料的汽车，而更着重于卡车和其他大型车辆，这种经营模式是不合适的。
Autoworkers union officials say they will consider wage and benefits concessions as part of a comprehensive plan to save the industry.
汽车工人工会的官员说，他们可以考虑在工资和福利方面作出让步，作为挽救汽车业的综合计划的一部分。 |