高中英语 voa常速听力2012年09月合辑文本colorado-business-owners-divided-about-presidential-politics素材.docVIP

VOA常速英语听力2012年09月合辑（文本）：Colorado-Business-Owners-Divided-about-Presidential-Politics DENVER — Polls show the U.S. presidential race is very close in the swing state of Colorado, a western state that has more than doubled in population in the past 40 years, with the expansion of energy, transportation and high-tech industries, as well as Rocky Mountain tourism. But Colorados economy is now struggling and the unemployment rate is 8.3 percent, making the economy the central issue in this years election. As do many other voters in Colorado, business owners differ as to which candidate offers the best plan for recovery. At Codi Manufacturings plant in Golden, Colorado, 23 workers make equipment parts. Owner and manager Jared Jones says he would like to hire more people, but his costs keep going up. Every time we hear about a new regulation or something we have to adhere to, it drives the cost of our business up, said Jones. Codi makes conveyance systems used in food processing plants and has customers in Latin America, Africa and China. Jones says higher taxes threaten this export industry. There is no motivation for an individual to take the risk, to lay all their assets on the line to make additional money and then just have the government come and take it away from them, he said. He believes the presidents health care reform law will drive up costs for his business. The health care system does need a reform, but forcing a government-issued health care and having us pay for it is definitely not the solution we need, said Jones. Jones favors the Republican Party and believes candidate Mitt Romney would restart Americas economic engine. But owners of smaller businesses, like Maria Empanada in Lakewood, often take a different view. This bakery is owned and operated by Lorena Cantarovici, an immigrant from Argentina, who favors President Obama partly for sentimental reasons. Under his presidency I became a citizen and I was able to open the doors of my business, said Canta