VOA双语新闻 - 美总统候选人承诺帮助中产阶级

　　Republican presidential candidate John McCain has unveiled a new economic plan.

美国共和党总统候选人约翰.麦凯恩公布了一项新的经济计划。

Senator John McCain announced a series of steps he would take if elected that are intended to help middle-class Americans cope with the ongoing 1 financial crisis.

参议员麦凯恩宣布了一系列措施，如果他能够当选，他将帮助美国的中产阶级应付目前的财政危机。

McCain said he would eliminate taxes on unemployment benefits and would have the government take additional steps to protect against bank failures.

麦凯恩说，他将取消对失业福利的税收，同时政府将采取更多的步骤，以防止银行倒闭。

"On my orders, the Department of the Treasury 2 will guarantee 100 percent of all savings 3 accounts for a period of six months," McCain said. "This will calm the understandable fears of widespread bank failure, while also restoring rational judgment 4 to the choices of the market."

麦凯恩说：“根据我的命令，财政部将在六个月内百分之百地担保所有储蓄账户，这将能够平静对银行倒闭的普遍担心，同时也能够对市场的选择恢复理性的判断。”

Behind in public-opinion polls with three weeks to go until election day, McCain is trying to find ways to address voter concerns about the economy, the number-one issue in the campaign.

由于离美投票还有三个星期的时间，而麦凯恩在民意调查中落后，他正努力寻找办法来解决选民关注的经济问题，这已经成为这次选举的头号议题。

In his latest speeches, McCain has backed off from some of the personal attacks aimed at Senator Obama.

麦凯恩在最新讲话中不再对参议员奥巴马进行人身攻击。

Instead, McCain recalls his experience as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War and urges voters to fight for their beliefs.

麦凯恩转而回顾他在越南战争中曾经当过战俘的经历，并敦促选民应该为他们的信仰而奋斗。

"I know what fear feels like," McCain said. "It's a thief in the night who robs your strength. I know what hopelessness feels like. It is an enemy who defeats your will. I felt those things once before. I will never let them in again. I'm an American and I choose to fight!"

麦凯恩说：“我知道恐惧的感觉。那种感觉就像窃贼在夜间剥夺了你的力量。我知道无望的感觉，就像你的敌人摧垮了你的意志。我以前曾经有过一次那样的感觉，我永远不会让他们再来。我是一个美国人，我选择战斗！”

McCain's focus on the economy came one day after Senator Obama outlined his own plan to help Middle America.

就在麦凯恩把重点放在经济问题上的前一天，参议员奥巴马概述了他自己的帮助美国中产阶级的计划。

Obama would also suspend taxes on unemployment benefits and would place a 90-day moratorium 5 on home foreclosures.

奥巴马也将暂停对失业福利征税，并对由于付不出分期贷款而导致房屋被拍卖的家庭实行为期90天的宽限。

Obama also said he would provide tax breaks for businesses to create new jobs.

奥巴马还表示，他将提供税收优惠，以鼓励企业创造新的就业机会。

"It is a plan that begins with one word that is on everybody's mind, and it's easy to spell. J-O-B-S, jobs! Senator McCain may be worried about losing an election, but I am worried about you losing your jobs," Obama said. "I am worried about you losing your homes. I am worried about you losing your life savings."

奥巴马说：“这是一个计划，这个计划以一个单词开始，并在每一个人的头脑里，这个单词也很容易拼写，那就是J-O-B-S, 就业机会！参议员麦凯恩可能担心在这次总统大选中失败，但我担心的是你会不会失去你的工作。我担心的是你会不会失去你的房屋，我担心的是你会不会失去你一生的积蓄。”

Obama took the day off to prepare for the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday. The economy will be the focus of the debate, which will be held at Hofstra University in New York.

奥巴马休假一天，准备第三次也是最后一次总统候选人辩论。美国经济将是这次辩论的重点，辩论将于星期三在美国纽约州的霍夫斯特拉大学举行。

The debate may present one of the last opportunities to change the trajectory 6 of the presidential race.

这次辩论可能是改变总统竞选势头的最后机会之一。

Recent national polls give Obama a lead of between six and 10 points over McCain.

最新的全国民意调查结果显示奥巴马领先麦凯恩6至10个百分点。

In addition, polling by Quinnipiac University in Connecticut shows Obama pulling away from McCain in key battleground states including Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan.

此外，奎尼匹克大学在康涅狄克所做的民调显示，奥巴马正在赢得双方争夺的关键的州，包括科罗拉多州、威斯康星州、明尼苏达州和密西根州。

Polling experts say historically it can be difficult for candidates trailing this late in a presidential campaign to come from behind and win on Election Day.

But Gallup pollster Frank Newport told MSNBC television that Senator McCain could take encouragement from the 1980 election race between President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat 7, and Republican challenger Ronald Reagan.

"Another example, however, is in 1980 when our polling showed Jimmy Carter, the incumbent 8, ahead by as much as six points just a week or two before the election," Newport said. "Then they had a debate, the dust settled, and Reagan won the popular vote by 10 points."

Recent polls also show that voters regard the economy as the top issue in the campaign by a large margin 9 over other topics such as national security, the war in Iraq, and health care.