VOA标准英语2008年-Bush Warns of Painful US Recession Without Quic

U.S. President George Bush has invited both presidential candidates and the Congressional leadership to the White House in hopes of securing a deal to help the nation's ailing¹ financial sector². VOA's Paula Wolfson reports the president urged public support for the rescue plan in an unusual nationally broadcast speech to the nation late Wednesday.
　
President Bush delivers TV speech on financial crisis, 24 Sep 2008

The president says the economy is in danger and something must be done. "We are in the midst of a serious financial crisis and the federal government is responding with decisive action" he said.

In a rare evening address from the White House, the president tried to put the complicated financial crisis in layman's terms. He said the problems now facing Wall Street could eventually reach into every American home.

"More businesses would close their doors and millions of Americans could lose their jobs. Even if you have a good credit history, it would be more difficult to get the loans you need to get a car or send your children to college. And ultimately, our country could experience a long and painful recession," the president said.

Until recently, President Bush was saying that the American economy is sound. Now, the White House is using different words to describe America's fiscal³ health, saying the financial system is strong enough to survive the current market turmoil⁴.

But the medicine for the ailing economy will come at a very steep price. The Bush administration wants Congress to approve $700 billion to buy out the bad debt now held by major financial institutions.

Everyone agrees that something must be done. But many lawmakers are skeptical⁵ about setting aside all that money to help private companies. And they worry about leaving responsibility for distribution of the funds with one person - Secretary of the Treasury⁶ Henry Paulson.

Democrats⁸, like Brad Sherman of California, complain the rescue package does a lot to help over-extended financial institutions, and not enough to help private citizens. "The only thing that is certain is if we pass this bill, Wall Street will be happy," he said.

But the loudest opposition⁹ to the financial bail-out plan seems to be coming from fiscal conservatives in the president's own party. Republican Cliff Stearns of Florida is one of them. He says it would expose American taxpayers¹⁰ to great financial risk. "Through these bailouts our federal government is effectively risking hard earned taxpayers' dollars to protect private-sector companies that utilize¹¹ reckless investment strategies with little regard to the consequences," he said.

On Thursday, the president will do some closed-door campaigning for the financial rescue plan at a White House meeting with Congressional leaders and the two major party presidential candidates.

Democrat⁷ Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are urging their colleagues in the legislature to approach the issue in a bipartisan fashion.

In a highly unusual joint¹² written statement released just minutes before the president's speech, they say everyone must work together to prevent "an economic catastrophe¹³."

 

1 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

4 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

5 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。

6 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

7 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

8 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》

9 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。

10 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

11 utilize   

vt.使用，利用

参考例句：

• The cook will utilize the leftover ham bone to make soup.厨师要用吃剩的猪腿骨做汤。
• You must utilize all available resources.你必须利用一切可以得到的资源。

12 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

13 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。