2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Sets Republican Agenda for Congressional E

By Scott Stearns
White House
01 September 2006

With less than 70 days to go before legislative¹ elections, President Bush is campaigning hard for Republican candidates facing challenges from opposition² Democrats³, who hope to capture control of at least one house of Congress.  The president is campaigning on the issues that won him re-election two years ago - national security and the threat of terrorism.

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		President Bush gestures during a fundraiser for the reelection campaign of Sen Orrin Hatch

While the president's overall approval ratings remain near record lows, he is still popular among members of his own party.

So, President Bush is back on the campaign trail, trying to help his party's congressional candidates keep control of both houses of Congress. Not surprisingly, he is using many of the same themes that won him re-election two years ago.

Speaking to Republican supporters in the southern state of Tennessee this past week, the president said their party offers voters a positive vision that makes a difference in the lives of all Americans.

"I bring a message of optimism to you," said Mr. Bush.  "I believe, and I know our party is a political party that trusts the wisdom of the American people. Ours is a party that is willing to confront challenges, instead of passing them on to future generations."

Mr. Bush says the most important challenge is securing the nation against another terrorist attack. Many opposition Democrats have been critical of some of the measures the president has taken in the name of national security. They include the surveillance of suspect telephone conversations without a warrant, and endorsing⁴ the so-called Patriot⁵ Act, which critics say impinges on civil liberties.

Mr. Bush is trying to turn that opposition to political advantage for Republicans, arguing some of his critics do not understand the depth of the terrorist threat.

"I need people in Washington, D.C. who are willing to give those who are responsible for protecting America all the tools they need, tools such as the Patriot Act, tools such as programs that say, if al-Qaida is calling into the United States, we want to know why," added Mr. Bush.

Opposition Democrats are focusing on what the president calls the central front in the fight against terrorism: Iraq.  While a majority of Americans now believe it was a mistake to send U.S. troops to topple Saddam Hussein, nearly two-thirds of Republicans still approve of the way President Bush is handling the war in Iraq.

Critics say continued U.S. involvement in Iraq is distracting from the broader fight against terrorism, drawing resources away from enhanced border security and the hunt for al-Qaida leader Osama bin⁶ Laden⁷.

President Bush says the security of the civilized⁸ world is at stake in Iraq.  While he says he welcomes debate over the war, the president told Republican supporters in the southwest state of Utah that a debate over national security is one they can win.

"In these 2006 campaigns, there will be a lot of debate," he explained.  "There will be people, good people, decent people, patriotic⁹ people, who say, now is the time to leave Iraq, and they are wrong."

On the campaign trail, the president is also talking more about social issues that mobilize conservative voters, including the selection of conservative judges and federal support for religious-based charities, which critics say blurs¹⁰ the separation of church and state.

Mr. Bush says candidates need to explain that many of America's social problems require something greater than government, namely the help of people, who, he says, hear a higher calling from God.

"America can change one heart, and one soul, and one conscience at a time," said Mr. Bush.  "Government should not fear faith. Government ought to welcome the good works of faith-based and community-based organizations to help make this country as strong as it possibly can be."

White House officials say the president will continue to campaign aggressively for Republican candidates in the November election, as a switch of just six seats in the Senate would put Democrats in control of that chamber¹¹ for the first time since 2002.

That outcome would likely end any chance the president has of achieving substantive¹² legislative goals in his second term, as many Democrats say they would use control of the Senate to investigate the president's handling of the war in Iraq.

1 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。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 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》

4 endorsing   

v.赞同( endorse的现在分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• Yet Communist leaders are also publicly endorsing religion in an unprecedented way. 不过，共产党领导层对宗教信仰的公开认可也是以前不曾有过的。 来自互联网
• Connecticut Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman is endorsing Republican Senator John McCain. 康涅狄格州独立派参议员约瑟夫。列波曼将会票选共和议员约翰。麦凯恩。 来自互联网

5 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

6 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

7 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

8 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为

9 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

10 blurs   

n.模糊( blur的名词复数 )；模糊之物；（移动的）模糊形状；模糊的记忆v.（使）变模糊( blur的第三人称单数 )；（使）难以区分

参考例句：

• The electron clouds are clearly visible as blurs surrounding the invisible nuclei. 电子云就象环绕着看不见的核的一片云雾。 来自辞典例句
• The letter had many blots and blurs. 信上有许多墨水渍和污迹。 来自辞典例句

11 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

12 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。