2006年VOA标准英语-Reagan Adminstration Aide Says Congress Should

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
09 November 2006

A former official of the Reagan administration says Washington should recall the lessons of history as it works to solve the nation's problems. Former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese was recently honored in Los Angeles for his efforts in promoting American values. In an interview with VOA's Mike O'Sullivan, he offers some advice for members of the new congress.

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Edwin Meese (2005 photo)

Ed Meese was a member of Ronald Reagan's inner circle, part of the so-called Reagan Revolution that worked to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. Mr. Reagan and those around him were deeply skeptical¹ about a federal role in solving social problems. And tasks such as education, the Republican president said, are better left to state and local officials.

Meese left government in 1988, and has worked as an analyst², speaker and writer in the years since then. He was recently honored in Los Angeles by a conservative group called Americanism Educational League, which got its start as an anti-communist organization in the late 1920s. The former official is disturbed when he sees high levels of spending by Congress, whose members try to get government funding for local projects.

"And I think when the government becomes a vehicle primarily for members of Congress to bring back pork, as they call it, to their districts, they have lost track of what the purpose of Congress is, which is to solve the national problems, those things that are truly national in nature, such as the problems of foreign affairs, of defense³, and things such as that," said Edwin Meese.

Meese says President Reagan's tax cuts in the 1980s have spurred two decades of growth, and that tax cuts by President Bush are doing the same. But Democrats⁴ say the cuts are helping⁵ the wealthy.

Meese faults both parties for the growth of government beyond what he believes the founding fathers envisioned. He adds that his own Republican party has failed to heed⁶ the advice of President Reagan about curbing⁷ the federal role in education and health care. He is critical of a 2003 law that helps seniors and the disabled buy prescription⁸ drugs. The plan will cost the government $678 billion over 10 years, up from a promised cost of $400 billion.

"With the drug prescription bill, it has gotten more deeply into medicine," he said. "And so I think the more that you have of the federal government going beyond its normal powers that the founders⁹ had in mind, the more opportunity there is for lobbying, the greater necessity there is from those people whose interests are being affected¹⁰. And so as a result, there is more chance for some small-scale corruption¹¹ and scandals, such as we have now."

Political analysts¹² have cited voter frustration¹³ over corruption as a factor in the shift in congressional power in Tuesday's election. Democrats have now taken control from Republicans in both houses of Congress.

Another factor in voter surveys was dissatisfaction with the continuing war in Iraq. Meese says, on this subject as well, U.S. history offers lessons.

The former attorney general says the United States suffered growing pains after 1776, when the founders signed the Declaration of Independence.

"People forget, often, that it took the United States a number of years to get into the form of government that we now enjoy 200 and some odd years later," noted¹⁴ Edwin Meese. "The first attempt with articles of confederation was not successful, and the central government was not able to do those things necessary to protect the people or to engage effectively in foreign commerce and in foreign relations. And it wasn't until 1787 with the development of a new constitution, which was then implemented¹⁵ in 1789, that the country really got off to its second start."

He says sectarian divisions complicate¹⁶ the challenge of creating an effective government in Iraq, but that building democracy is always a process of trial and error.

1 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

2 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

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 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

7 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

8 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

9 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

10 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

12 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。

13 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

15 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

16 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。