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VOA标准英语2012--Health Care Program for Seniors Emerges as Key Election Issue

时间:2012-09-01 06:58:40

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Health Care Program for Seniors Emerges as Key Election Issue

At the University Village Senior Living Community Clinic in Tampa, Florida, Hugh Clark gets his blood checked regularly.

Having had heart problems, he relies on Medicare and opposes any plan to change its status as a government-run program.

"There are some things that are better run by the government than would be run privately," he said.

His friend and neighbor, Ann Cook, agrees. She says she is unimpressed by the Republican promise to preserve the program as it is for those 55 years of age or older.

"I care very much about what happens to coming generations. I am not selfish enough to care only because they say it won't affect us," she said.

But she recognizes the challenge facing the program as government revenues fail to keep up with the numbers of people reaching retirement1 age.

"You probably have to raise the age incrementally2 a little bit because people live longer and work longer," she said.

The Republican Medicare reform proposal is contained in a budget plan developed by the party's vice3 presidential nominee4, Wisconsin Congressman5 Paul Ryan, who spoke6 to the convention here in Tampa Wednesday.

"We had help from Medicare, and it was there, just like it's there for my mom today. Medicare is a promise, and we will honor it," he said.

Ryan's plan would eventually transform Medicare into an agency that provides funds for seniors to use in selecting health insurance from private companies.

Some young people like University of Tampa student Christian7 Root agree with Republicans about the need to cut federal spending.

But even Root wonders if the Republican plan is fair to his generation.

"If I am going to be paying the same as my parents did, I would like to receive those same benefits because I feel entitled to them," he said.

But Florida Congressman Dennis Ross says the program has to be reformed.

"If we leave it alone, it's going to die. It's going to be bankrupt in 10 years," he said.

Ross says Mitt8 Romney and Republican candidates for Congress will have to overcome voter fears that Medicare will be destroyed by their plan.

"If we give them an honest assessment9 of the economic situation, of Medicare today and where it will be next year and how we will ensure it will be there, I believe the American public will be with us," he said.

Ross acknowledges, however, that this may be a tough sell with voters, especially those like Ann Cook. She sees Republicans vowing10 to eliminate programs like President Barack Obama's Affordable11 Care Act - also known as Obamacare - without offering a clear alternative.

"I have not heard these folks say anything about what they are doing for the uninsured," he said.

In the end, the election may depend on voter perceptions about whether the Republicans offer the best hope to save Medicare or a threat to destroy it. 


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1 retirement TWoxH     
n.退休,退职
参考例句:
  • She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
  • I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
2 incrementally a1d656c3e43d169f1e51a838de0c6d0b     
adv.逐渐地
参考例句:
  • Incrementally update the shared dimensions used in this cube. 增量更新此多维数据集中使用的共享维度。 来自互联网
  • Grand goals are inspiring, but be sure to approach them incrementally. 辉煌的目标令人鼓舞,但一定要逐步实现。 来自互联网
3 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
参考例句:
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
4 nominee FHLxv     
n.被提名者;被任命者;被推荐者
参考例句:
  • His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
  • Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。
5 Congressman TvMzt7     
n.(美)国会议员
参考例句:
  • He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
  • The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
6 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
7 Christian KVByl     
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
参考例句:
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
8 mitt Znszwo     
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 assessment vO7yu     
n.评价;评估;对财产的估价,被估定的金额
参考例句:
  • This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
  • What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何?
10 vowing caf27b27bed50d27c008858260bc9998     
起誓,发誓(vow的现在分词形式)
参考例句:
  • President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
  • President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。
11 affordable kz6zfq     
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。

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