英语翻译：美国总统选战进入冲刺阶段（双语）

英语自学网

The presidential candidates traded barbs on Medicare and the economy in three battleground states Monday, as the campaign for the White House sped into a sprint.         
            周一，美国民主、共和两党总统候选人在三大州的“战场”上就美国联邦医疗保险(Medicare)和经济问题展开唇枪舌剑的交锋，双方为入主白宫而进行的选战已经加速并进入冲刺阶段。  
        The day mixed debate on the central fiscal issues facing Washington with traditional on-the-ground campaigning at venues including the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, where Rep. Paul Ryan, in jeans and cowboy boots, made his first solo appearance since joining the GOP ticket. Across the state at a family farm in western Iowa, President Barack Obama, also in casual clothes, pledged aid to farmers suffering from a drought that has slashed crop yields.         
             周一，两党候选人既就华盛顿面临的核心财政问题进行了辩论，也在艾奥瓦州首府得梅因举行的艾奥瓦州博览会(Iowa State Fair)等场所展开了传统的现场拉票活动。美国众议员莱恩(Paul Ryan)以牛仔裤和牛仔靴的装扮亮相得梅因，这是他成为共和党副总统候选人以来的首次单独露面。在艾奥瓦州西部的一个家庭农场，美国总统奥巴马(Barack Obama)同样身着便装。奥巴马承诺向那些遭受旱灾的农户提供援助。该州粮食产量因干旱大幅减产。  
        Much of the discussion focused on the financially shaky Medicare health program for seniors, an issue of new prominence since Mitt Romney named Mr. Ryan as his running mate Saturday on the Republican ticket. The Wisconsin representative has been a favorite of fiscal conservatives from his role in Congress of promoting deficit-cutting plans that would overhaul entitlement programs. The campaign will now test how the broader electorate views those plans, including proposals to substantially change Medicare that align with Mr. Romney's platform.         
            两党辩论主要集中在经费紧张的老年人联邦医疗保险项目上。自上周六罗姆尼(Mitt Romney)选定莱恩成为其竞选搭档以来，这一问题就变得非常突出。由于莱恩努力在美国国会推动减赤计划（这一计划将对诸多福利项目进行大刀阔斧的改革），这位威斯康星州众议员已经成为财政保守派最喜爱的候选人之一。这场竞选将考察整体选民对这些计划的看法，其中包括配合罗姆尼竞选方案的大幅改革联邦医疗保险的提案。  
        Mr. Romney on Monday appeared in retiree-rich Florida and said he would strengthen Medicare. 'We want to make sure that we preserve and protect Medicare,' Mr. Romney said in St. Augustine.         
            罗姆尼周一现身退休人员众多的佛罗里达州，说他将加强联邦医疗保险。罗姆尼在圣奥古斯丁说，我们想确保联邦医疗保险得到保留和保护。  
        Mr. Romney would offer retirees, starting in 2022, a choice between traditional Medicare or the option of buying private health insurance, with premiums supported by the U.S. government. He eventually would raise the Medicare eligibility age of 65 by one month each year.         
            按照罗姆尼的方案，从2022年起，退休的美国人可在传统医疗保险和购买私人医疗保险之间进行选择，保费将得到美国财政的支持。罗姆尼希望最终能将联邦医疗保险65岁的参保年龄每年提高一个月。  
        Mr. Romney later told reporters in Miami that 'the truth is, we simply cannot continue to pretend like a Medicare [program] on track to become bankrupt at some point is acceptable.'         
        罗姆尼后来在迈阿密对记者说，事实是，我们不能继续假装美国联邦医疗保险有朝一日将破产这件事是可以接受的。  
        Mr. Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, in separate appearances, tried to draw a contrast with the GOP ticket and to link Mr. Romney with the congressional wing of his party.         
            奥巴马和副总统拜登(Joe Biden)各自公开露面时，都曾试图与共和党候选人形成鲜明对比，并试图将罗姆尼与共和党的国会议员联系在一起。  
        'Gov. Romney and his allies in Congress, they think that if we just get rid of more regulations on big corporations and give more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, if we end Medicare as we know it, make it a voucher system, then somehow this is all going to lead to jobs and prosperity for everybody,' Mr. Obama said in Iowa.         
            
            

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             奥巴马在艾奥瓦州说，罗姆尼州长和他在国会的盟友认为，如果我们对大公司放送监管、给最富有的美国人更多的税收优惠，如果我们终结联邦医疗保险，把它变成一个抵用券制度，那么就会给每个人带来就业岗位和繁荣富裕。  
        'What's gutsy about giving millionaires another tax break? What's gutsy about gutting Medicare, Medicaid, education?' Mr. Biden said in Durham, N.C., giving the Democratic characterization of Mr. Ryan's budget plans, which have drawn wide support in the GOP-led House.         
            拜登在北卡罗来纳州的达勒姆(Durham)从民主党的角度对莱恩的预算计划进行了这样一番描述：让亿万富翁享受更多减免税政策算什么勇气？掏空美国联邦医疗保险、医疗补助计划(Medicaid)和教育又算什么勇气？莱恩的计划受到共和党领导的美国众议院的普遍支持。  
        Mr. Obama plans to shore up Medicare by changing how the government pays health-care providers and raising premiums or copayments for some recipients. The Ryan plan aims to reduce deficits by cutting domestic discretionary spending, overhauling Medicaid and Medicare and lowering tax rates. Among other differences, Mr. Obama says any deficit-reduction plan should raise taxes on wealthier Americans.         
            奥巴马打算改变美国政府对医疗卫生服务提供商的支付方式，提高部分参保者的保费或共同支付的费用，以这种方式来支持联邦医疗保险计划。莱恩则力争通过削减美国国内可自由支配开支、大幅调整联邦医疗保险和医疗补助计划及降低税率来削减赤字。此外，双方还有其它分歧。例如，奥巴马说，任何减赤计划都应提高有钱人的税负。  
        With Messrs. Obama and Ryan both in Iowa, a state with a relatively low jobless rate but one hit by the worst drought in decades, the talk turned to aiding farmers who face dramatic price increases for the corn and soybeans they feed livestock.         
            艾奥瓦州的失业率相对较低，但却受到几十年不遇旱情的影响。因此，当奥巴马和莱恩都身处这个州时，辩论的话题自然就转移到救助农民这方面。艾奥瓦州农民目前面临玉米和大豆价格飞速上涨的局面，而这些作物正是他们喂养牲畜的饲料。  
        The two men jousted from afar, with Mr. Obama blaming Mr. Ryan for Congress's adjournment for its August recess without passing a farm bill that included drought relief.         
              两人进行了隔空喊话。奥巴马因国会没有通过包括抗旱内容在内的农场法案就在8月份休会而责怪莱恩。  
        'He is one of the leaders of Congress standing in the way,'' Mr. Obama said of Mr. Ryan. 'So, if you happen to see Congressman Ryan, tell him how important this farm bill is to Iowa and our rural communities.'         
             奥巴马说，莱恩是阻碍这一法案通过的国会领导人之一。他说，正因为如此，如果你们碰到莱恩议员的话，告诉他这份法案对于艾奥瓦和美国农村社区来说是多么重要。  
        Hours later, at the Iowa State Fair, Mr. Ryan answered in kind: 'The reason President Obama isn't making it here from Council Bluffs is because he only knows left turns.' Should Mr. Obama stop by the fair, Mr. Ryan said voters should demand: 'Where are the jobs, Mr. President?'   
            
            

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              几小时之后，在艾奥瓦州博览会上，莱恩以牙还牙地说，奥巴马总统之所以没从康瑟尔布拉夫斯来到这里，是因为他只知道左转弯。莱恩说，如果奥巴马来到这里，选民们应该质问他：总统先生，哪有就业机会？  
        Lawmakers recently left town for their August recess without finishing work on the farm bill and a narrower drought-relief bill. The Democratic-controlled Senate had passed a farm bill including drought relief; the GOP-led House hasn't taken it up, in part due to a debate over cuts to the food stamp program.      
            
            

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             8月是美国国会的休会期，议员们纷纷外出度假，休会前国会既没能通过那项农场法案，也没能通过一项涉及范围小于这项法案的抗旱减灾议案。民主党控制的参议院通过了一项包括抗旱救灾内容的农场法案，而共和党控制的众议院尚未通过这项法案，部分原因在于两院对削减食品券计划存在争议。  
        The House backed a smaller bill to provide drought relief, but it stalled in the Senate before recess. Mr. Ryan had voted for the drought-relief measure.         
               美国众议院支持通过一项提供旱灾救助的规模较小议案，但这一议案未能在国会休会之前在参议院过关。莱恩曾投票支持该议案。  
        A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) blamed Democrats for declining to vote on the drought measure in that chamber. 'The weak attempt by the White House to manufacture a controversy illustrates the president's desperation to change the subject to anything other than his failures on jobs and the economy,' said the spokesman, Kevin Smith.         
               美国众议院议长、俄亥俄州共和党人博纳(John Boehner)的发言人史密斯(Kevin Smith)批评民主党人拒绝在参议院就这项抗旱减灾议案进行表决。他说，白宫试图制造争议的苍白之举表明，奥巴马迫切希望将辩论话题转移至就业和美国经济之外的其他领域，因为在就业和美国经济这两方面他都搞砸了。  
        In Iowa, Mr. Obama also employed the power of incumbency, announcing that the Agriculture Department would purchase $170 million worth of pork, chicken, lamb and catfish in attempt to help farmers. The purchases will be used in food-aid programs, the White House said.         
               此外，奥巴马还在艾奥瓦州运用其执政优势宣布，美国农业部将购买价值1.7亿美元的猪肉、鸡肉、羊肉和鲶鱼以帮助农民。白宫说，采购来的农产品将用于食品援助项目。  
        Mr. Obama at other times has unveiled new, targeted government action during campaign trips to battleground states. In July, he used a visit to manufacturing communities in Ohio to say the U.S. would file a trade complaint against China.         
              奥巴马此前在“摇摆州”进行拉票时，已经推出了有针对性的政府新方案。今年7月，奥巴马在访问俄亥俄州制造业社区时曾说，美国将对中国提出贸易投诉。  
        For Mr. Ryan, the day brought a different type of campaigning than he saw over the weekend, during his whirlwind introduction as Mr. Romney's running mate across Virginia and North Carolina. At those events, Mr. Romney stood at his side and the pair addressed large rallies. The state fair, with its life-size cow carved from butter, offered a more informal setting.         
              周一这天，莱恩马不停蹄地走访了弗吉尼亚和北卡罗来纳两个州，以罗姆尼竞选搭档的身份向当地民众介绍自己，同时也经历了一种有别于上周末那一类型的竞选活动。在上周末的竞选活动中，罗姆尼站在莱恩旁边，两人在大型集会上发表演讲。而在艾奥瓦州博览会上，气氛则没那么正式，展会上有用黄油雕刻的实物大小奶牛。  
        Mr. Ryan greeted voters and their babies, but the fitness devotee bypassed fare such as fried butter, deep-fried Twinkies and bacon-wrapped corn dogs.         
              莱恩向选民及他们的孩子问好，但这位健身爱好者却避而不谈有关炸黄油、油炸夹馅面包和玉米热狗肠等食物的话题。  
        The unscripted nature of the day included the crowd. After he took the stage, two women rushed at Mr. Ryan. They were carried off by state troopers. Later, hecklers shouted during Mr. Ryan's speech, demanding, 'Stop the war on the poor.'         
              周一这天可谓是未经彩排的一天，民众的表现亦是如此。莱恩登台亮相后，有两位妇女向他冲去，她们后来被州警察带走。而在莱恩发表演说的时候，又有起哄者大声嚷嚷，要求“停止这场针对穷人的战争”。