01-18-08

布什将提出刺激美国经济构想 (Bush to Offer Ideas for Stimulating Economy)

预计布什总统星期五将提出刺激美国经济的想法。

在一系列报告说美国目前经济状况欠佳之后，星期四，美国中央银行行长伯南克对国会的一个委员会表示，及时出台一套新的财政政策将有助于重振美国经济。

美联储的一个报告显示，制造业的一个重要领域出现显著下滑。政府部门的另外一个研究报告说，在2007年新建房屋的数量下降了25%，是自1980年以来新房数量下滑幅度最大的一年。

伯南克强调说，任何刺激经济的成套方案一定要快速实施，也必须是暂时性的。刺激经济的举措一般指的是增加联邦支出，减税，或两者并举。

President Bush is expected today (Friday) to offer ideas for stimulating the U.S. economy.

On Thursday, U.S central bank chief Ben Bernanke told a congressional committee that a timely package of new fiscal policies could revitalize the economy, following a string of downbeat economic reports.

A Federal Reserve report showed manufacturing declining sharply in a key area, while a separate government study said the number of new homes under construction in 2007 dropped by 25 percent, the steepest drop for that industry since 1980. 

Bernanke stressed that any stimulus package must be implemented quickly and designed to be temporary. Economic stimulus packages usually come in the form of higher federal spending, lower taxes or some combination of the two.

败选后台湾政府发言人辞职 (Taiwanese Government Spokesman Resigns Amid Election Defeat)

在台湾执政的民进党在上星期的立法委员选举中遭到挫败后，台湾两名内阁部长级官员提出辞职。

台湾行政院新闻局长谢志伟星期五对记者表示，他要在内阁成员计划于1月28号集体辞职之前就辞职。

媒体报导说，教育部长杜正胜也提出要卸去部长一职。

在上个星期的选举中，反对党国民党赢得了台湾立法院113个席位中的81席。

国民党的竞选纲领是要与中国改善关系，强化台湾停滞的经济。国民党把经济问题归咎于陈水扁总统所持的倾向台独的立场。

Two Taiwanese Cabinet ministers have offered to resign, following the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's defeat in legislative elections held last week.

Government Information Office chief Shieh Jhy-wey told reporters today (Friday) that he wanted to quit ahead of the Cabinet's planned mass resignation on January 28th.

Media reports say Education Minister Tu Cheng-sheng has also offered to go as well.

In last week's elections, the opposition Nationalists won 81 of the 113 seats in Taiwan's legislature.

The Nationalists campaigned on a theme of improving ties with China and strengthening Taiwan's stagnant economy, which they blamed on President Chen Shu-bian's pro-independence stance.