By Kent Klein
Washington
03 January 2009
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is calling on Congress to move quickly on his economic stimulus plan. But some Republicans want more time to study the details.
The incoming president says lawmakers should pass his American Recovery and Reinvestment plan, which he hopes will create three million jobs. Aides say the program could cost as much as $775 billion, but Mr. Obama says American families need help now.
"For too many families, this new year brings new unease and uncertainty, as bills pile up, debts continue to mount, and parents worry that their children will not have the same opportunity they had," he said.
Mr. Obama made the comments in an address recorded Friday, then distributed on radio and posted on YouTube Saturday.
He plans to meet Monday with the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The president-elect also expects to meet with opposition Republican leaders in Congress in the coming week.
Mr. Obama's aides had hoped to have an economic plan approved by the House and Senate before the new president takes office on January 20. But some Republicans have urged a delay to review the plan, and the legislation is not likely to pass before Inauguration Day. Mr. Obama says there is an urgent need for action.
"Economists from across the political spectrum agree that if we do not act swiftly and boldly, we could see a much deeper economic downturn, that could lead to double-digit unemployment and the American dream slipping further and further out of reach," he said.
In his Saturday address, Mr. Obama made an effort not to blame his predecessor, President George Bush for the country's economic problems, which he said "are not Democratic problems or Republican problems." And he tried to reassure hesitant Republican lawmakers that his administration would keep a close eye on how the money is spent.
"We must demand vigorous oversight and strict accountability for achieving results, and we must restore fiscal responsibility and make the tough choices, so that as the economy recovers, the deficit starts to come down," said Mr. Obama. "That is how we will achieve the number one goal of my plan, which is to create three million new jobs, more than 80 percent of them in the private sector."
Mr. Obama said more than two million Americans lost their jobs in 2008, and the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, estimates that one in every ten U.S. homeowners is delinquent on mortgage payments or in foreclosure.
奥巴马敦促国会通过经济刺激计划
美国当选总统巴拉克.奥巴马呼吁国会尽快批准他的经济刺激方案。不过,一些共和党议员希望有更多时间研究这项方案的细节。
这位即将上任的美国总统表示,议员们应该通过他提出的“美国复苏和再投资计划”,他希望通过这项计划创造300万个就业机会。奥巴马的助手说,这项计划将耗资7750亿美元,不过,奥巴马认为美国家庭现在需要得到帮助。
奥巴马说:“对绝大多数家庭来说,新到来的一年给他们带来了新的不安和不确定性,没完没了的账单,负债累累,家长们担心他们的孩子得不到他们当时曾得到的机会。”
奥巴马在星期五录制的讲话中做出上述表示,这段讲话录音星期六被分送到广播电台播出,并在YouTube上发表。
*奥巴马:迫切需要采取行动*
奥巴马打算星期一会见众议院议长南希.佩洛西和参议院多数党领袖哈里.里德。这位当选总统预计还将于下星期会见国会的共和党领袖。
奥巴马的助手原本希望参众两院在新总统1月21号宣誓就职之前就通过一项经济计划。但是,共和党议员要求推迟表决,以便对这项计划进行评析,因此这项议案不大可能在宣誓就职日之前得到通过。奥巴马表示,现在迫切需要采取行动。
奥巴马说:“来自不同政治党派的经济学家都认为,如果我们不迅速、果断、大胆地采取行动,我们就会看到经济更为低迷,而且失业率的百分点会因此达到两位数,人们美国梦的实现会因而越来越渺茫无期。”
*建立严格问责制*
奥巴马在星期六的讲话中尽量不把美国目前的经济问题归咎于现任总统布什。他说,这个问题“既不是民主党的责任也不是共和党的责任。”他还尽量让忐忑不安的共和党议员放心,新一届政府会密切关注如何使用资金。
奥巴马说:“为了取得效果,我们必须有强有力的监督和严格的问责制,我们必须恢复财政责任制,必须做出艰难的抉择,这样随着经济的复苏,财政赤字才会开始减少。那就是实现我的这项经济刺激计划的头号目标的途径,这一首要目标就是开创300万个就业机会,80%以上的新就业机会是在私营部门。”
奥巴马说,2008年有200多万美国人失去工作,美国的中央银行-联邦储备委员会估计,美国每十个房主中就有一个不是拖欠房屋抵押贷款就是其住房被银行收回从而丧失了房屋产权
By Kent Klein
Washington
03 January 2009
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is calling on Congress to move quickly on his economic stimulus plan. But some Republicans want more time to study the details.
The incoming president says lawmakers should pass his American Recovery and Reinvestment plan, which he hopes will create three million jobs. Aides say the program could cost as much as $775 billion, but Mr. Obama says American families need help now.
"For too many families, this new year brings new unease and uncertainty, as bills pile up, debts continue to mount, and parents worry that their children will not have the same opportunity they had," he said.
Mr. Obama made the comments in an address recorded Friday, then distributed on radio and posted on YouTube Saturday.
He plans to meet Monday with the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The president-elect also expects to meet with opposition Republican leaders in Congress in the coming week.
Mr. Obama's aides had hoped to have an economic plan approved by the House and Senate before the new president takes office on January 20. But some Republicans have urged a delay to review the plan, and the legislation is not likely to pass before Inauguration Day. Mr. Obama says there is an urgent need for action.
"Economists from across the political spectrum agree that if we do not act swiftly and boldly, we could see a much deeper economic downturn, that could lead to double-digit unemployment and the American dream slipping further and further out of reach," he said.
In his Saturday address, Mr. Obama made an effort not to blame his predecessor, President George Bush for the country's economic problems, which he said "are not Democratic problems or Republican problems." And he tried to reassure hesitant Republican lawmakers that his administration would keep a close eye on how the money is spent.
"We must demand vigorous oversight and strict accountability for achieving results, and we must restore fiscal responsibility and make the tough choices, so that as the economy recovers, the deficit starts to come down," said Mr. Obama. "That is how we will achieve the number one goal of my plan, which is to create three million new jobs, more than 80 percent of them in the private sector."
Mr. Obama said more than two million Americans lost their jobs in 2008, and the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, estimates that one in every ten U.S. homeowners is delinquent on mortgage payments or in foreclosure.
奥巴马敦促国会通过经济刺激计划
美国当选总统巴拉克.奥巴马呼吁国会尽快批准他的经济刺激方案。不过,一些共和党议员希望有更多时间研究这项方案的细节。
这位即将上任的美国总统表示,议员们应该通过他提出的“美国复苏和再投资计划”,他希望通过这项计划创造300万个就业机会。奥巴马的助手说,这项计划将耗资7750亿美元,不过,奥巴马认为美国家庭现在需要得到帮助。
奥巴马说:“对绝大多数家庭来说,新到来的一年给他们带来了新的不安和不确定性,没完没了的账单,负债累累,家长们担心他们的孩子得不到他们当时曾得到的机会。”
奥巴马在星期五录制的讲话中做出上述表示,这段讲话录音星期六被分送到广播电台播出,并在YouTube上发表。
*奥巴马:迫切需要采取行动*
奥巴马打算星期一会见众议院议长南希.佩洛西和参议院多数党领袖哈里.里德。这位当选总统预计还将于下星期会见国会的共和党领袖。
奥巴马的助手原本希望参众两院在新总统1月21号宣誓就职之前就通过一项经济计划。但是,共和党议员要求推迟表决,以便对这项计划进行评析,因此这项议案不大可能在宣誓就职日之前得到通过。奥巴马表示,现在迫切需要采取行动。
奥巴马说:“来自不同政治党派的经济学家都认为,如果我们不迅速、果断、大胆地采取行动,我们就会看到经济更为低迷,而且失业率的百分点会因此达到两位数,人们美国梦的实现会因而越来越渺茫无期。”
*建立严格问责制*
奥巴马在星期六的讲话中尽量不把美国目前的经济问题归咎于现任总统布什。他说,这个问题“既不是民主党的责任也不是共和党的责任。”他还尽量让忐忑不安的共和党议员放心,新一届政府会密切关注如何使用资金。
奥巴马说:“为了取得效果,我们必须有强有力的监督和严格的问责制,我们必须恢复财政责任制,必须做出艰难的抉择,这样随着经济的复苏,财政赤字才会开始减少。那就是实现我的这项经济刺激计划的头号目标的途径,这一首要目标就是开创300万个就业机会,80%以上的新就业机会是在私营部门。”
奥巴马说,2008年有200多万美国人失去工作,美国的中央银行-联邦储备委员会估计,美国每十个房主中就有一个不是拖欠房屋抵押贷款就是其住房被银行收回从而丧失了房屋产权