VOA常速英语2008年-Election Year Politics Has Impact on US Economy

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
08 February 2008
 

Politicians could be making the economic slowdown in the U.S. worse than it really is by constantly reminding voters that the economy needs fixing. This is the view of some analysts¹ who say that because consumer spending is the primary engine that drives U.S. economic growth, negative messages during this election year cycle can have a dampening effect on the world's largest economy. VOA's Mil Arcega reports.

Rising unemployment, the housing downturn and stock market plunges² have made the state of the economy the number one issue for voters -- replacing the Iraq war.

This has led presidential hopefuls from both the Democratic and Republican parties to work hard at convincing Americans that they have the knowledge, experience and wisdom to heal the ailing³ economy

Republican candidate John McCain said recently, "It's obviously important to stop the spending. As president I know how to do it."

Democratic candidate Barack Obama said, "We will once again lead the world, not just militarily but diplomatically, economically."

 Hilary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate, said, "We've got to do something about this. And there's a big difference between talking and acting⁴."

But some economists⁶ say all the talk about the economy -- especially the emphasis on the negative -- only serves to make matters worse.

Dan North is the chief economist⁵ at Euler Hermes, one of the largest credit insuring firms in the world. Hermes says, "When you get this relentless⁷ drum beat, which I've seen before in election years, it tends to make people pull their horns in a little bit because they do start worrying more about the economy."

And when people are worried, North says they tend to spend less. "Most of our economy is based on people spending - that is buying milk, buying cars, and suits and TVs, and that sort of thing. That's what drives our economy. Two thirds of our economy is driven by consumers. So if consumers stop spending because the economy is slowing, it's gonna be yet another drag on the economy itself."

Even financial markets are not immune. Tom Hertz, an economics professor at American University, says investors⁹ react in similar fashion to stock market psychology¹⁰. He says what happens in U.S. markets often has a chilling effect on markets around the world. "Well, suppose you're a Japanese investor⁸ and you discover that there's something going wrong in the American market and you think it may or may not affect the Japanese market, well, just to be sure, you sell, right? So -- self-fulfilling prophecy - it does affect the Japanese market."

Any recovery of the slumping¹¹ U.S. housing market may be similarly affected¹². Economists say fears that the U.S. economy may already be in a recession is causing some buyers to think twice before making any big purchases.

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 plunges   

n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• Even before he plunges into his program, he has his audience in his pocket. 他的节目甚至还没有出场，就已控制住了观众。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• 'Monseigneur, he precipitated himself over the hill-side, head first, as a person plunges into the river.' “大人，他头冲下跳下山坡去了，像往河里跳一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

3 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。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

6 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

8 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

9 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

10 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

11 slumping   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的现在分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Hong Kong's slumping economy also caused a rise in bankruptcy applications. 香港经济低迷，破产申请个案随之上升。
• And as with slumping, over-arching can also be a simple postural habit. 就像弯腰驼背，过度挺直也可能只是一种习惯性姿势。

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。