U.S. President Barack Obama is taking on Republican critics of his economic plan. After vowing to ease the partisan rhetoric in Washington, the president is turning up the heat.
美国总统奥巴马星期二就他的经济计划跟国会参众两院的预算委员会主席举行了会谈。会谈之后，奥巴马总统发表讲话，反驳共和党人对他的批评。奥巴马总统上任以来一直试图缓和党派分歧，但是现在他却提高了论战的力度。
Mr. Obama eagerly sought Republican support in Congress for his economic rescue plan. But not a single Republican voted for the package in the House of Representatives and only three voted for it in the Senate.
奥巴马总统曾渴望寻求国会的共和党议员支持他的经济救助方案，但是在众议院，没有一个共和党议员对这项议案投赞成票。在参议院也只有三名共和党参议员投票赞成。
This time, with his budget under fire from the political opposition, the president is fighting back.
现在，他提出的预算方案又遭到反对党的猛烈攻击，这一次总统决定反击。
He said it is not enough for Republicans to simply oppose his ideas. He added they must come forward with proposals of their own and be willing to negotiate.
奥巴马说，共和党人只是简单地反对他的计划是不够的。他补充说，他们必须要拿出他们自己的建议，并且愿意进行谈判。
"Just say, 'No,' is the right advice to give your teenagers about drugs," said the president. "It is not an acceptable response to whatever economic policies are proposed by the other party."
“仅仅说‘不’对于你们未成年的儿女吸毒来说是一个正确的做法，但是对于另外一个政党提出的经济政策，这种做法无论如何不是一个可以接受的回应。”
Speaking after a meeting with the Democrat chairmen of the congressional budget committees, the president issued a challenge to his critics.
在同国会参众两院的预算委员会主席举行会晤之后，奥巴马总统向他的批评者提出了挑战。
"With the magnitude of the challenges we face, what we need in Washington are not more political tactics," said Mr. Obama. "We need more good ideas. We do not need more point scoring; we need more problem solving."
他说：“面对严峻的挑战，我们在华盛顿所需要的不是更多的政治谋略，我们需要更多的好主意。我们不需要计较谁得分多少，我们需要更多的解决问题的办法。”
In his brief remarks, Mr. Obama referred to his proposed $3.5 trillion budget for 2010 as a blueprint for the future. It includes substantial spending increases for health care, education and the development of alternative energy sources.
在他的简短声明中，奥巴马指的是他提出的规划未来蓝图的2010年3万5千亿美元的预算方案。这个预算方案包括增加医疗保险、教育和开发替代能源的大笔开支。
Republicans have complained that these programs are too costly at a time of economic recession. But the president said they are long term investments that must be made.
共和党人抱怨说，这些计划在目前经济危机的关头开销太大了。但是奥巴马总统说，这些都是必须要做的长期投资。
"The cost of our health care is too high to ignore," he said. "The dependence on oil is too dangerous to ignore. Our education deficit is too wide to ignore."
他说：“我们的医疗保险代价太高，不容忽视。石油依赖外国太危险，不容忽视。我们的教育亏空太大，不容忽视。”
But Republicans immediately made clear they are in no mood to compromise on the budget.
但是共和党人立即明确表示，他们无意在预算问题上妥协。
California Republican Dan Lungren said Mr. Obama is not living up to his campaign promises to cut taxes and federal spending.
来自加利福尼亚的共和党议员丹.隆格伦说，奥巴马总统没有遵守他在竞选时期提出的减税和削减联邦开支的诺言。
"This budget taxes too much, spends too much, borrows too much," he said. "It is, in fact, a repudiation of the very goals he has established."
他说：“这个预算方案征税太多，开销太大，借债过高。实际上，这个预算方案抛弃了他竞选时期树立的所有目标。”
Indiana Republican Mike Pence continued the criticism of the Obama budget.
来自印第安纳州的共和党议员迈克.彭斯继续抨击奥巴马提出的预算方案。
"I think the more the American people look at this administration's budget, the more they know we can do better," he said. "We must do better."
彭斯说：“我认为，美国人民越多地审查这届政府提出的预算方案，他们就会越感到我们可以做得更好一些。我们必须做得更好。”
Republicans have put forward a list of principles that they think should drive the 2010 budget. Party leaders say they will announce detailed proposals soon.
共和党人已经提出了他们认为2010年预算方案应该遵守的一系列原则。共和党领袖表示，他们不久将宣布建议的细节。 |