VOA慢速英语 2008 0418a
时间：2019-01-11 作者：英语课 分类：VOA慢速英语2008年（四）月
High food and fuel prices. Housing and credit problems. Job losses. Worries about a recession. No wonder the economy is a top issue for American voters.
John McCain speaking about his economic plan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Senator John McCain says tax cuts are needed for growth. The Republican presidential candidate set out his economic plan in a speech this week in Pennsylvania.
He would push Congress to make President Bush's tax cuts permanent. And he would aim to lower the top rate of income tax for businesses, from thirty-five percent to twenty-five percent.
In all, Senator McCain proposes about two hundred billion dollars in new tax cuts for businesses and individuals. To help pay for them, he would cut earmarks, those special interest projects added to spending bills.
He would also hold federal spending at most agencies to current levels and cut wasteful 1 programs. But many experts say it is unlikely these cuts would equal the cost of the tax cuts.
Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama debate in Philadelphia on April 16. The Pennsylvania primary vote will be held on April 22nd
The campaigns of Democrats 2 Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton dismissed the McCain plan as a continuation of George Bush's policies. Both Democrats say they are against tax cuts for the wealthy. They propose moderate tax cuts for the middle class.
Right now, falling property values are a big worry for millions of families. Some people who borrowed more for houses than they should have, or took out loans with rising payments, may lose their homes.
This week, researchers from the Pew Charitable Trusts predicted that three percent of all homeowners will be in foreclosure in the next few years. This would be the result of high-cost subprime loans made in two thousand five and two thousand six, and the effects on local property values.
Problems can be found nationally, though some areas and neighborhoods are more affected 3 than others.
Hillary Clinton proposes to stop foreclosures for at least ninety days and freeze interest rates on adjustable-rate mortgages for five years. She also proposes thirty billion dollars in aid to help states prevent foreclosures. Barack Obama's plan calls for ten billion dollars for homeowner aid.
Last month, John McCain said "it is not the duty of government to bail 4 out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers." But he now proposes to let some homeowners replace their subprime mortgages with federally guaranteed loans. His campaign says the plan would help up to four hundred thousand homeowners.
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.
- It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
- Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。
- 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》
- 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。