VOA标准英语2012--OECD Adds Its Voice to US Debate on Taxes

 

OECD Adds Its Voice to US Debate on Taxes

Economically, the United States remains¹ one of the strongest countries in the world, but there are signs its competitive edge is slipping. Despite a reputation as a global leader in technology and innovation, OECD Deputy Secretary-General Richard Boucher says the U.S. is falling behind in education.

"The United States is one of three countries out of the 34 (in the OECD) that we've studied that spends less on education of disadvantaged students than we do on other students. Usually it's the other way around," Boucher said.

It's a situation the OECD says has led to rising income disparity -- with those in the highest income brackets receiving a better education and, therefore, greater opportunities to succeed. 

Another contributing factor is what the OECD calls "tax code distortions".

"There are elements of the tax code that are favoring the kind of income that the richest people make. We come at it somewhat from the inequality point of view but also from the fact that we think the government tax system ought to be a lot more neutral," Boucher said.

Perhaps unwittingly, the OECD appears to have inserted itself in the middle of a hot political debate...one exemplified by billionaire Warren Buffet², who once remarked that he paid a smaller percentage in taxes than his secretary.

"I think that people at the high end, people like myself, should be paying a lot more in taxes," Buffet said.

Earned income in the U.S. is taxed at a higher rate than investment income. That disparity is at the heart of President Barack Obama's proposal to impose higher taxes on Americans earning more than $250,000 a year.

Republicans call that a tax grab -- akin³ to declaring war on the country's job creators, says rising conservative star Paul Ryan.

"Class warfare⁴ will simply divide the country more. It will attack job creators and it doesn't grow the economy," Ryan said.

President Obama disagrees. "If asking a millionaire to pay the same tax rate as a plumber⁵ makes me a class warrior⁶, a warrior for the working class, I will accept that. I will wear that as a badge of honor," Obama said.

The issue could further divide the country in an election year.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt⁷ Romney, who co-founded a private equity⁸ firm, admits he paid less than 14 percent on his investment income in 2010. Compare that to some wage earners who paid 35 percent. Romney proposes bigger cuts in government spending and lower taxes for all. It's a position that runs counter to the approach favored by President Obama: fewer cuts to social programs, and more infrastructure⁹ spending - paid for in part, by higher taxes on the rich. 

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 buffet   

n.自助餐；饮食柜台；餐台

参考例句：

• Are you having a sit-down meal or a buffet at the wedding?你想在婚礼中摆桌宴还是搞自助餐？
• Could you tell me what specialties you have for the buffet?你能告诉我你们的自助餐有什么特色菜吗？

3 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

4 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

5 plumber   

n.(装修水管的)管子工

参考例句：

• Have you asked the plumber to come and look at the leaking pipe?你叫管道工来检查漏水的管子了吗？
• The plumber screwed up the tap by means of a spanner.管子工用板手把龙头旋紧。

6 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

7 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。

8 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

9 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。