VOA标准英语2013--State of the Union Address Likely to Focus on Domestic Issues

 

State of the Union Address Likely to Focus on Domestic Issues

In his first address to Congress in 2009, Obama aimed to inspire confidence amid the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. "Though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this. We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before," he stated.

Since then, he has used the State of the Union address to talk about events that have shaken the nation, such as mass shootings.

Now, empowered by his re-election, he is pushing Congress to strengthen gun control and pass immigration reform. 

"Obviously immigration is going to be a big issue, gun control and gun violence those hot button issues," said James Carafano with the conservative Heritage Foundation. "He is going to have a lot to say about the budget because we will still be in the middle of the budget thing." 

Deficit¹ reduction and cuts to government spending, facing a March deadline for agreement with Congress, are also likely to be highlighted in the speech.

But John Sides of George Washington University says Obama has to strike a balance between economic progress and the ongoing² hardships of many Americans. "The economy is improving, his approval is up slightly. But I think we're still in pretty tenuous³ territory," Sides added. "Mass unemployment is very much still with us and likely will be with us for some time. "

In last year's address, Obama marked the end of the U.S. combat role in Iraq and declared that Osama bin⁴ Laden⁵ was no longer a threat. This year he will likely again discuss Afghanistan and the timeline for withdrawing most U.S. combat forces.

Anthony Cordesman, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says the Arab world is likely to figure in Tuesday's speech. "He is certainly going to talk about the problems with the upheavals⁶ in the Arab world," he noted⁷. "And without really active U.S. diplomacy⁸, without a mixture of U.S. economic and military aid, without a constant effort to sort of build up stability and more democratic regimes in the region, things are going to become a far more serious threat."

Obama will also need to send a message that Republicans and Democrats⁹ in Washington should cooperate more, says John Sides. "Then we might be starting to witness maybe a little bit of restoration of Americans trust and faith in government in addition to their feelings about Obama himself," he said.

Sides says Republicans are listening more carefully to voices within their Party that warn against endless confrontation¹⁰ with Obama. 

1 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。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 tenuous   

adj.细薄的，稀薄的，空洞的

参考例句：

• He has a rather tenuous grasp of reality.他对现实认识很肤浅。
• The air ten miles above the earth is very tenuous.距离地面十公里的空气十分稀薄。

4 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

5 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

6 upheavals   

突然的巨变( upheaval的名词复数 )； 大动荡； 大变动； 胀起

参考例句：

• the latest upheavals in the education system 最近教育制度上的种种变更
• These political upheavals might well destroy the whole framework of society. 这些政治动乱很可能会破坏整个社会结构。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

9 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》

10 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。