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美国大选影响未来财税政策走向

Unless the U.S. Congress acts, most Americans will pay more taxes next year to a federal government forced to slash¹ domestic and national defense² spending. Such an outcome would significantly cut the deficit³, but could also damage an already-weak U.S. economy. The November elections could determine how the nation proceeds.

除非美国国会采取行动，大多数美国人明年就要多缴税，因为联邦政府需要削减国内和国防开支。这样做能一方面能减少财政赤字，但是同时也可能损害疲软的美国经济。今年十一月的大选将决定美国在这方面未来的政策走向。

Last week brought a tantalizing⁴ hint of movement in a politically divided legislature. The Democrat⁵-controlled Senate passed a bill to retain current tax rates on earnings⁶ under $250,000 a year. Democrat Charles Schumer said, “The House should act immediately so the president can sign this bill into law.”

美国国会在夏季休会前两院都通过了与税收相关的法案。民主党控制的参议院通过的法案对于年收入25万美元以下的人保持现有的征税水平。民主党参议员查尔斯.舒默说：“众议院应该立刻行动起来，这样总统就能在这个议案上签字生效了。”

But Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, say the measure will die in the lower chamber⁷. House Speaker John Boehner had a message for President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats⁸. “Mr. President, I tell you what: if you want to show that you stand with American small-business owners, the best thing you can do is drop your plan to increase their taxes on January first," he said.

但是控制着众议院的共和党议员说，这个议案无法在众议院通过。众议院议长约翰.博纳向奥巴马总统和国会民主党议员传达了这样的信息：“总统先生，我想告诉你：如果你要让人们看到你支持美国的小企业主，你能做的最好的事就是放弃你在一月一日增加他们的税收的计划。”

Republicans want current tax rates extended for all income levels, including the very wealthy, whom they describe as America’s job creators. Senator John Thune said, “The one thing we do not need in the middle of this kind of an economy is a big, fat tax increase.”

共和党人希望将保持现有税收水平的计划扩大到所有阶层，包括共和党人称之为美国工作创造者的富裕阶层。共和党参议员约翰.图恩说：“在现在的经济环境下，我们最不需要做的就是大幅增税。”

The Senate’s top Republican, Mitch McConnell, summed up his take on the Democratic agenda by saying, “Taking more money from those who earn it for the government to waste.”

参议院共和党领袖麦康奈尔参议员认为民主党的做法是“政府把人们辛苦赚来的拿走然后浪费掉。”

Democrats counter that allowing the tax rate for top earners to rise would reduce the severity of automatic spending cuts that will disproportionately affect poorer and middle-income Americans. President Obama says America's deficit cannot be eliminated by budget cuts alone. “I do not believe you can reduce the deficit without asking the wealthiest Americans, including folks like me, to give up the tax cuts they have been benefiting from for the last decade," he said.

民主党人反驳说，允许向富人增加税收将缓解因自动削减财政开支而受到更大幅度影响的中低收入阶层的困境。奥巴马总统说，美国的赤字没办法单纯通过削减预算解决：“我认为如果我们不要求包括我在内的、富有阶层放弃过去的十年中享受到的税收优惠，我们就无法做到削减赤字。”

While Republicans portray⁹ themselves as champions of businesses small and large, Democrats want voters to view them as defenders¹⁰ of a faltering¹¹ middle class.

共和党人把自己刻画成企业利益的维护者，而民主党人则希望民众把他们看作是中产阶级利益的捍卫者。

Senator Barbara Boxer¹² said, “Who are you fighting for? Are you fighting for the people who make a billion dollars a year? That is who the Republicans fight for. Or are you fighting for the middle class, the heart and soul of America?”

民主党参议员芭芭拉.伯克瑟说：“你在为谁争取利益？为亿万富翁吗？共和党人维护的就是这些人的利益。或者你是否要为那些可以称之为美国良心的中产阶级而战斗？”

With neither political party able to exert its will, both are waiting for the American people to weigh in at the ballot¹³ box in November, and possibly alter the balance of power in Washington.

不过两党都无法实现自己的意愿，他们都在等待美国人民在十一月的大选投票中做出很可能改变华盛顿力量平衡的决定。

Political analyst¹⁴ John Fortier, who examines possible outcomes, said, “If the president is reelected, he will be reelected with at least part of a Republican Congress, the House and maybe the Senate. We will have divided government, and many of the same fights we are having today over the raising of the debt ceiling and other budget differences will probably be replayed again and again for the next four years.”

政治分析员约翰.福蒂埃说：“如果总统连任，他将和至少有一部分在共和党控制下的国会，或许是众议院，也可能是参议院一同连任。我们将继续有一个分裂的政府，那些我们现在经历的有关债务限额和其他预算争议的斗争还将在未来的四年中反复上演。”

On the other hand, a victory by Republican challenger Mitt¹⁵ Romney could break the gridlock to the benefit of his party’s agenda, assuming Republicans see further gains in Congress.

另一方面，如果共和党挑战者罗姆尼获胜，假设共和党在国会的席位也将增加，那么这个僵局可能会在一定程度上打破，有利于共和党推动他们的议事日程。