经济成为美国总统竞选主要议题

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Concern about the troubled U.S. economy continues to dominate the U.S. presidential race. Presumptive presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama are busy debating taxes, foreign trade and health care.

对美国经济困境的忧虑仍然是美国总统竞选中的主要议题。预计能得到总统候选人提名的麦凯恩和奥巴马正忙于辩论税收、外贸和保健等问题。

Americans are increasingly focused on the rising cost of fuel and food, making the economy the top issue in this year's presidential election campaign.

美国人越来越关注燃油和食品价格上涨的问题，这使得经济问题成为今年大选的首要议题。

In Washington, the presumptive Republican Party nominee, Senator John McCain, told a group of small business owners that his plans to cut corporate taxes and keep in place President Bush's tax cuts for individuals would help stimulate the economy.

在华盛顿，预计将得到共和党总统候选人提名的麦凯恩参议员对一组小型企业主说，他计划削减公司税，并保留布什总统为个人设定的减税措施，并说这一计划有助于促进经济发展。

"No matter which of us wins in November, there will be change in Washington, " he said. "The question is, what kind of change? Will we go back to the policies of the 1960s and 1970s that failed? Or will we go forward?"

他说：“不论我们中谁将赢得11月大选，华盛顿都会发生变化。问题是发生什么样的变化？我们是否退回到上世纪60年代和70年代的失败方针呢？还是我们将向前迈进呢？”

McCain also pointed to sharp differences over trade with his Democratic Party opponent, Senator Barack Obama.

麦凯恩也指出自己与民主党对手奥巴马之间在贸易问题上有很大分歧。

Obama has proposed reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, a popular stand with workers who have lost their jobs in several industrialized states.

奥巴马已经提出要重新研究与墨西哥和加拿大的北美自由贸易协议。这一立场在工人中深得人心，因为在美国几个以制造业为主的州里，工人失去了就业机会。

McCain says if elected, he will stand by U.S. trade commitments and will seek to expand free trade.

而麦凯恩说，自己如果当选，将坚持美国的贸易承诺，并将寻求拓展自由贸易。

"I welcome the debate with the Democratic nominee," he said. "I want to break down foreign trade barriers, break them down, so that America's small businesses can compete abroad, not build them up."

麦凯恩说：“我欢迎就这一问题与民主党提名候选人展开辩论。 我希望消除对外贸易壁垒，要除去障碍、而不要升高障碍，以便让美国的小型企业能在海外展开竞争。”

Obama is also focused on the economy as he campaigns in several so-called battleground states, states that are expected to be competitive for both candidates in the general election campaign.

在几个所谓的“摇摆不定的州”，即预计两位候选人在大选时竞争激烈的州，奥巴马在那里展开竞选时，也把焦点集中在经济上。

Obama defended his plans to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations while offering a middle class tax cut during a campaign stop in Missouri.

奥巴马在密苏里州停留展开竞选时，为自己提高富裕阶层及公司赋税、降低中产阶层赋税的计划作辩护。

"And so, what we are trying to do is to restore some balance," he said. "Put some money in the pockets of working families, in the pockets of consumers. That actually, I believe, will be good for business because those folks will be spending money and that means that businesses will have products and services that they can sell."

奥巴马说：“所以我们正在努力恢复某些平衡。把一些金钱放进工人家庭的口袋和消费者的口袋。我认为那样做其实对企业有利，因为那些人将会花钱，那意味着企业将能出售他们的产品和服务。”

Obama also continues to tie McCain to President Bush, arguing that electing the Arizona Republican in November would amount to a third Bush term in office.

奥巴马也继续把麦凯恩和布什总统联系在一起，他争辩说，如果在11月选亚利桑那州参议员麦凯恩，就等于让布什总统第三次连任。

Public opinion polls suggest economic concerns will benefit the Democrats in November. Analysts say that is why McCain is determined to also keep the focus on Iraq, national security and foreign policy where he believes he has an edge in experience over Obama.

一些民调显示，选民对经济的忧虑在11月份的大选中将对民主党候选人有利。分析人士说，那就是麦凯恩为什么决定也要把焦点集中在伊拉克、国家安全和外交政策这几个问题上，因为他相信自己在这些方面的经验比奥巴马略胜一筹。

The latest polls give Obama slight lead over McCain in some of the first head-to-head match-ups since Obama clinched the nomination over rival Democrat Hillary Clinton last week.

从上星期奥巴马挫败克林顿赢得民主党总统提名后，最近对奥巴马和麦凯恩两人所作的一些首次直接较量的民意测验中，奥巴马略微领先于麦凯恩。