【美国总统电台演说】2006-07-15

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This weekend, I am in Russia meeting with other world leaders at the G8 summit. This annual summit gives us a chance to talk about key issues facing all our nations, such as energy security and the threat of infectious diseases like avian flu.

At this year's summit, we will also discuss how to promote the spread of freedom and democracy, and how our countries can work together to expand trade and prosperity for all our citizens.

As the world's economic powers gather for the G8, the American economy remains¹ the envy of the world. And this week we received even more positive news about our economy. On Tuesday, my administration's Office of Management and Budget released its annual update on the budget outlook. This year's report is very encouraging: Because our economy continues to enjoy strong growth, federal tax revenues are growing, and we are cutting the federal deficit² faster than expected.

This good news is no accident. It is the result of the hard work of the American people, and pro-growth economic policies in Washington, D.C. Since 2001, we have cut taxes for everyone who pays income taxes, reduced the marriage penalty, doubled the child tax credit, and put the death tax on the road to extinction³. We cut tax rates paid by most small businesses and further encouraged expansion by cutting taxes on dividends⁴ and capital gains.

Together these tax cuts have left nearly $1.1 trillion in the hands of American small business owners, workers, and families. And you have used this money to help spur an economic resurgence⁵ that has produced 18 straight quarters of growth.

Some in Washington think the choice is between cutting taxes and cutting the deficit. This week's numbers show that this is a false choice. The economic growth fueled by tax relief has helped send tax revenues soaring. When the economy grows, businesses grow with it, people earn more money, and they pay taxes on this new income.

In 2005, tax revenues posted the largest increase in 24 years, and they're projected to rise again this year. The increase in tax revenues is much better than we had projected, and it is helping⁶ us cut the budget deficit.

Our original projection⁷ for this year's budget deficit was $423 billion. This week's report from OMB projects that this year's deficit will actually come in at $296 billion, a reduction of $127 billion. That is a tremendous difference, and 90 percent of it is because our growing economy has produced a lot more tax revenues.

Because of these new revenues, we now project that we'll meet our goal of cutting the federal deficit in half by 2008, a full year ahead of schedule. This is real progress, yet we cannot depend on a growing economy alone to cut the deficit. We must also cut waste and restrain unnecessary government spending. And my administration is doing its part.

Every year since I took office we have reduced the growth of discretionary spending that is not related to national security. My last two budgets have actually cut this kind of spending. I am also working with Congress to pass a line item veto, which will help me and future Presidents target wasteful⁸ spending that lawmakers tack⁹ on to large bills. The House has already passed this measure with significant bipartisan support. Now the Senate needs to act and get a line item veto to my desk to sign into law.

Finally, I will continue to work with Congress to address the unsustainable growth of entitlement spending so that we can save programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for our children and grandchildren.

This week's good news confirms the wisdom of trusting the American people with their own money and being wise with the money they send to Washington. By pursuing pro-growth policies and restraining government spending, we will keep our economy the envy of the world. We will create more jobs and opportunities for all our citizens, and we will deliver results for the American taxpayer¹⁰.

Thank you for listening.

END

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 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。

3 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

4 dividends   

红利( dividend的名词复数 )； 股息； 被除数； （足球彩票的）彩金

参考例句：

• Nothing pays richer dividends than magnanimity. 没有什么比宽宏大量更能得到厚报。
• Their decision five years ago to computerise the company is now paying dividends. 五年前他们作出的使公司电脑化的决定现在正产生出效益。

5 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

6 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。

7 projection   

n.发射，计划，突出部分

参考例句：

• Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
• The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

8 wasteful   

adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的

参考例句：

• It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
• Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。

9 tack   

n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝

参考例句：

• He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
• We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。

10 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。