g********d
发帖数: 4174 | 1 By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer Tom Raum, Associated Press Writer – 19
mins ago
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama took a significant step toward
retooling his presidency with a challenge to lawmakers to rise above
partisan differences to tackle economic and budget problems "decades in the
making."
And while there remained stark differences in approach between the president
and the Republicans with whom he now shares power, Obama made some striking
concessions in the name of national unity — and asked others to do the
same.
In a State of the Union address made somber by the recent Arizona shootings,
Obama on Tuesday night coupled a call for budget restraint with a plea for
more American innovation to allow the United States to better compete in the
global economy.
"The rules have changed" and the U.S. must not let itself be left behind by
other fast-growing economies like China and India, Obama said.
Obama and newly empowered Republicans each framed their rival political
themes, ones that will carry them to the 2012 elections.
Obama's speech was relatively subdued. "He avoided competing with his
audience," said Wayne Fields, a professor at Washington University in St.
Louis who studies presidential rhetoric. "They seemed as much a part of the
show as he was. The message from both sides was that we're going to work
together in a civil society."
With signs that the recovery is beginning to pick up steam, the occasion
gave both parties a chance to look forward — not back to the economic mess
in the nation's rear-view mirror.
"Now that the worst of the recession is over, we have to confront the fact
that our government spends more than it takes in," Obama told a House
chamber filled with many new House and Senate faces, mostly Republican ones.
Obama's wish list included new government "investments" in education and
infrastructure such as roads and bridges and more market-opening deals with
other nations.
He called for more spending on high-speed rail and high-speed Internet. And
in a key concession, one that quickly riled environmentalists, Obama called
for spending on clean-energy technology — but for the first time included
nuclear power, "clean" coal and natural gas.
While praising a call by Obama to end oil subsidies, League of Conservation
President Gene Karpinski said, "We object to his attempt to redefine clean
energy to include nuclear and so-called `clean coal.'"
"At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or
somewhere else," Obama said. "To win the future, we'll need to take on
challenges that have been decades in the making."
At the same time, Obama proposed deficit-cutting steps, including a five-
year freeze in spending for some domestic programs. And he called for a
reduction in the taxes corporations pay but "without raising the deficit."
Republicans scoffed at Obama's concept of "investments" and suggested the
president was merely seeking to continue a longtime spending spree. They've
put tackling the nation's $14 trillion debt at the center of their agenda,
beginning with spending cuts larger and sooner than Obama has proposed.
It's a goal that resonates with tea party factions within the GOP.
Republicans assert that taming soaring deficits, not adding to the debt,
will put the economy back on the path of growth and spur private-sector job
growth.
Earlier Tuesday, the Republican-controlled House voted 256-165 to return
most domestic agencies to 2008 budget levels, a largely symbolic vote.
Obama agrees that tackling trillion-dollar-plus annual deficits is a
national priority — but a long-range one, not one that needs to be taken on
too aggressively with the unemployment rate stubbornly stuck above 9
percent.
But even the House GOP effort at fiscal austerity would only make a small
dent in the nation's debt.
"Americans are skeptical of both political parties, and that skepticism is
justified — especially when it comes to spending," said House Budget
Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., in a prepared text for the GOP
response. "So hold us all accountable."
And, trying to strike the same tone of congeniality that Obama used, Ryan
praised the president for focusing on the economy and deficits. "He was
right to do so, and some of his words were reassuring."
As they laid out their positions, the risks were high for both parties.
Obama needs to win back independent voters, who helped him win the
presidency in 2008 but deserted Democratic candidates in favor of
Republicans in last November's midterm elections.
Despite their new clout, Republicans, too, are mindful that repeating the
gains they made last November in the 2012 election cycle won't be a cakewalk
— and need to avoid the possibility of gridlock.
"Everybody, not just Obama but members of Congress, want to have something
to show for the next two years," said Rutgers political science professor
Ross Baker.
For the first time in a while, Obama has some wind at his back, something
Republicans hadn't counted on just a few months back. His State of the Union
address followed a moving speech after the Tucson shootings and a well-
executed summit and state dinner with President Hu Jintao of China.
Ever since what he called his party's "shellacking" in the midterm elections
, Obama has moved to mend fences with business and move toward the center.
He extended existing Bush-era tax cuts, introduced new ones, completed a
free-trade agreement with South Korea, and ordered a government-wide review
of regulations with a goal of weeding out ones that hinder business.
For the first time, Obama vowed Tuesday night to veto any bills sent to him
that include "earmarks," pet spending provisions pushed by individual
lawmakers. It was a turnabout for the president, who in 2009 said earmarks
were fine if "done right."
But it wasn't all concessions. Obama strongly defended his health care
overhaul from GOP efforts to dismantle it.
In all his recent dealings, Obama "had to bow to practical realities," said
Thomas Mann, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "What he is
contesting," Mann adds, "is the Republican characterization of him as this
out-of-control liberal." | g********d
发帖数: 4174 | 2 奥巴马国情咨文:四提中国 重建美国 80%国土建高铁 中新网
美国总统奥巴马25日晚在国会发表国情咨文。通篇讲话中，奥巴马四次提及中国，对照
中印等迅速发展，认为美国面临竞争危机。
首先，奥巴马再次提及其“变革”理念，他表示世界已经改变，规则已经改变，因而美
国在经济、教育、科技发展等诸多方面面临更多竞争。
奥巴马说：“一些国家，比如中国和印度，他们已经意识到，只有通过变革，才能在世
界上立于不败之地。因此，他们开始尽早着手对孩子进行教育，并延长教育时间，更注
重数学和科学。就在近期，中国拥有了世界最大的民营太阳能研究机构，并研制出全球
运算速度最快的计算机。”
之后，在提到美国基础设施改造时，奥巴马再次举例，用多国发展事实强调要想“赢得
未来必须重建美国”。奥巴马说：“我们的基础设施曾经是最好的——但是我们的地位
已经下滑了。韩国的互联网建设已经超过我们。俄罗斯等欧洲国家对公路和铁路的建设
投入已经超过我们。中国也正在发展更快的火车和更新的机场。”
最后，在增加出口扩大就业问题上，奥巴马再次提及中国。奥巴马指出要帮助企业向海
外输出更多产品，美国已经定下目标，截至2014年出口额翻一番，因为扩大出口可以为
国内创造更多的就业机会。奥巴马表示，我们的出口额正在上升，“最近，我们同印度
和中国签署的协议将为美国带来25万个就业机会。”
奥巴马此次国情咨文重点聚焦美国国内经济发展，关注就业问题，增加美国竞争力。这
是奥巴马上台后第二次发表国情咨文。以去年相比，美国经济复苏仍缺乏方向感，失业
率偏高，因此奥巴马在经济方面加大着墨。有分析指出，奥巴马把“就业机会”放在头
号重要的位置，目标直指美国2012年的总统大选，因为“就业”将毫无疑问地成为2012
大选年民主、共和两党的中心辩题。
新华网快讯：美国总统奥巴马２５日在发表国情咨文时指出，世界已发生深刻变革
，美国正在同其他国家竞争，为此美国需为创造就业岗位和刺激经济增长付出更多努力。
图为美国商务部大楼外墙的“工作”标语。
将加大建设高速铁路和无线网络
奥巴马国情咨文指出，为吸引企业投资，美国政府将加大对基础设施投入。政府计划在
未来25年内，将国内高速铁路的比重提高至80%，并在未来5年内将美国的高速无线网覆
盖率提高至98%。 | m******1
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