VOA常速英语2007年-Economy, Health Care Are Top Domestic Issues fo

By Cindy Saine
Washington
21 December 2007

Public opinion polls show the economy, health care and illegal immigration are the domestic issues Americans care about most in the 2008 presidential race.  VOA's Cindy Saine takes a look at the various domestic issues resonating with voters.

As voters get ready to choose their presidential candidates, the housing market is weakening, oil prices are soaring and the stock market is volatile¹.  Opinion polls show voters are worried about the economy, saying it is the top domestic issue on their minds.

Karlyn Bowman monitors public opinion at the American Enterprise Institute.

"There is a lot of talk in American politics about our economy may be heading into a recession," she said.  "Certainly the public is very pessimistic on that score, with about 70 percent of Americans saying that we are heading into a recession."

Polls show the other domestic issue voters mention most often is health care.  More than 40 million Americans have no health insurance at all, while millions more pay high insurance premiums² for limited services.

The top two Democratic candidates, Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama, have been vying³ to distinguish their own health care plans from their rivals. Clinton touted⁴ her record at a televised debate in Nevada.

"I have a universal health care plan that covers everyone," she said.  "I've been fighting this battle against the special interest for more than 15 years, and I am proud to fight this battle."

Senator Obama says mandating⁵ health care is not the answer, as he lays out his plan.

"What I see are people who would love to have health care," he said.  "They desperately⁶ want it. But the problem is they can't afford it, which is why we have put forward legislation.  We've put forward a plan that makes sure that it is affordable⁷ to get health care that is as good as the health care that I have as a member of Congress."

Among Republicans, illegal immigration is a pressing issue.  During a debate sponsored by CNN and YouTube, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt⁸ Romney accused former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani of welcoming illegal immigrants into the city, calling it a "sanctuary⁹ city." Giuliani hit back at Romney, accusing him of hiring illegal immigrants.

"There is even a sanctuary mansion," he said.  "At his own home illegal immigrants were being employed."

Governor Romney was visibly angered by the personal charge.

"Mayor, you know better than that," he replied.

However, Romney has since fired the landscaping firm he had employed at his home.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, whose popularity has surged in recent weeks, has taken a different tack¹⁰ on illegal immigration. He fended¹¹ off an attack by Romney who criticized him for supporting a proposed scholarship program in Arkansas that would have included the children of illegal immigrants.

"In all due respect, we are a better country than to punish children for what their parents did.  We're a better country than that," he said.

Polls show most American voters are conflicted in their own minds about illegal immigration, as analyst¹² Karlyn Bowman explains.

"Voters are of two minds about the immigration issue," she noted¹³.  "They are very concerned about protecting our borders.  At the same time, they don't want to be especially punitive¹⁴.  They believe that immigrants have added a lot to the country and that they work very hard and that they take jobs that a lot of Americans won't take." 

Polls show the issues of national security and terrorism have receded¹⁵ somewhat since the 2004 presidential election, when they were central to the campaign. Now, voters will have to decide which candidate best represents them on the issues they care most about.

1 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

2 premiums   

n.费用( premium的名词复数 )；保险费；额外费用；（商品定价、贷款利息等以外的）加价

参考例句：

• He paid premiums on his life insurance last year. 他去年付了人寿保险费。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Moves are afoot to increase car insurance premiums. 现正在酝酿提高汽车的保险费。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

4 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

5 mandating   

托管（mandate的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Current requirements mandating that committees keep minutes are too general. 目前对委员会要保持详细记录的指令性要求，还是太过一般化了。
• Mandating that workers who quit without permission forfeit a month's wages. 规定工人私自离岗将受到罚没一个月工资的处罚。

6 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

7 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

8 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

9 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

10 tack   

n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝

参考例句：

• He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
• We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。

11 fended   

v.独立生活，照料自己( fend的过去式和过去分词 )；挡开，避开

参考例句：

• He neatly fended off a jab at his chest. 他利落地挡开了当胸的一击。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I fended off his sword thrust with my spear. 他一刀砍来，我拿枪架住。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

15 receded   

v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• The floodwaters have now receded. 洪水现已消退。
• The sound of the truck receded into the distance. 卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。