2006年VOA标准英语-Election Year Politics Surround US Budget

By Dan Robinson
Washington
07 April 2006

Republican leaders in the House of Representatives failed late Thursday to gather enough votes to pass a budget resolution, a general blueprint¹ for $2.7 trillion in government spending, putting off a vote on the legislation until after a two-week Easter break. Election year politics swirled² around the debate

The annual debate on the budget always reflects political undercurrents at the time, and this year is no exception.

But in this legislative³ election year, with control of the House and Senate in the balance, debate has been particularly heated.

Democrats⁵ and Republicans say their respective arguments reflect the views of their constituents⁶.

Republicans say their five-year budget plan seeks to restrain government spending, maintain economic growth, and bring down deficits⁷.

"I believe this budget is the right budget in the plan to keep our country moving forward with a strong growing economy, with a secure homeland, to provide endless opportunities both today and tomorrow for our kids and our families," said Iowa Congressman⁸ Jim Nussle, chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Democrats accuse Republicans of targeting domestic social programs important to lower and middle class Americans, education, medicare, and food support, while seeking to make permanent tax cuts approved under President Bush that Democrats say favor the wealthy.

"This majority party is the biggest borrow and spend operation that we have ever seen in the U.S. Totally and completely irresponsible in their approach to dealing⁹ with the American people's money. As a result of that, the economic circumstances that we are confronting are becoming increasingly difficult," said New York Democrat⁴ Maurice Hinchey on the floor of the House

Republicans also face problems from within their own ranks, as fiscally-conservative lawmakers complain that their leadership has not done enough to control spending.

Indiana Congressman Mike Pence has been one of the biggest Republican proponents¹¹ of cutting back government spending, often criticizing his own leadership. [We need to] "sharpen our pencils, and put our fiscal¹⁰ house in order, and I hope that when we pass a budget this week it will reflect those priorities," he said.

At the same time Pence and other Republicans say their position on spending should not obscure what they say is the fact that Democrats remain the party of big government and spending.

The realities of the budget problem are clear for both political parties in this election year.

Under President Bush government spending has gone up by more than 30 percent, with the biggest increases coming with the military, homeland security and counter-terrorism.

Leading to November congressional elections, Republicans will face the harshest criticism from Democrats over efforts to reduce the rise in spending on discretionary programs like health care, education and scientific research, at least two of which President Bush has claimed as priorities.

While they accuse Republicans of fiscal irresponsibility Democrats know the tables could be turned if, as they hope, they regain¹² control of Congress and face difficult budget choices themselves.

Adding to the unknowns will be tens of billions of dollars in additional costs in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as reconstruction¹³ in the U.S. Gulf¹⁴ Coast.

The Senate has already passed its own budget resolution, with substantial differences with the House version.

1 blueprint   

n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划

参考例句：

• All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
• The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。

2 swirled   

v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The waves swirled and eddied around the rocks. 波浪翻滚着在岩石周围打旋。
• The water swirled down the drain. 水打着旋流进了下水道。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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》

6 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

10 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。

11 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

12 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

13 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

14 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。