VOA慢速英语听力 ECONOMICS REPORT（WORD文本）：0312A.doc

1、标题：voa慢速英语讲解附字幕:联合公民组织为企业团体赢得言论自由对应音频：0312a.mp3听力内容：What Citizens United Does for US Companies, UnionsThis is the VOA Special English Economics Report.Laws in the United States and other countries treat a corporation like a person. We talked last week about how this idea developed a long time ago.In

2、 the United States, the Constitution protects freedom of speech. The Supreme Court has recognized that this is also true for corporations. But there was still a question about whether corporations could have the same freedom of political speech as real people do.During the two thousand eight preside

3、ntial campaign, a nonprofit corporation released a film critical of Hillary Clinton. The group, Citizens United, wanted to make Hillary: The Movie available on cable TV. But it did not want to violate a limit on so-called electioneering communication by corporations and unions within thirty days of

4、a primary election.Citizens United took the Federal Election Commission to court to fight the law.In January of this year, the Supreme Court, by the narrowest majority, voted five to four to end the ban. The ruling clears the way for corporations and unions to use their own money to support the elec

5、tion or defeat of a candidate. However, they are still barred from directly giving money to candidates. And the court did not consider the question of existing laws designed to prevent foreign influence in the political process.Since the nineteen forties, the traditional place for political speech b

6、y American unions and companies has been through political action committees. William Van Alstyne is a professor at the William and Mary Law School in Virginia.WILLIAM VAN ALSTYNE: If the shareholder felt it to their interest, if they wanted to contribute to a political action committee representing

7、 the business interest of the company, then they would contribute to the political action committee. Same thing on the labor side. So members of the union might be encouraged to contribute to the PAC - its called a P.A.C. The PAC would then determine how best to use the money, politically speaking,

8、in campaigns for and against candidates, ballot issues and all the rest.Now, says Professor Van Alstyne, the decision in Citizens United raises new issues. For example, the court will have to rule on whether companies with majority foreign ownership can enjoy the same expanded rights of political sp

9、eech.President Obama denounced the ruling in his State of the Union speech to Congress in January. This week, Chief Justice John Roberts told law students that anybody can criticize the Supreme Court. But, in answer to a question, he said the setting was very troubling. Six of the nine justices, inc

10、luding the chief justice, were sitting right in front of the president.And thats the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. You can find last weeks report on corporations . Im Steve Ember.这里是VOA特别英语经济报道。美国和其他国家的法律对待团体与个人的方式相同。上周我们已经讲述过，这个概念由来已久。在美国，宪法保护言论自由。最高法院已经认可，这一点对团体来说同

11、样适用。但是，关于团体在政治言论方面是否与自然人享受同样的自由却仍然是一个问题。在2008年的总统竞选活动中，一个非营利组织发行了一部批评希拉里·克林顿的影片。联合公民组织希望在有线电视播放影片希拉里：一部电影(Hillary: The Movie)。但是它不想违反企业或团体在初选的前30天不能进行所谓竞选意见交换的相关禁令。联合公民组织将联邦选举委员会告上法庭，反对这一规定。今年1月份，最高法院以5:4的轻微优势取消了该禁令。该裁决为企业和团体利用自己的资金支持或打击某位候选人的竞选活动扫清了道路。然而，他们仍然被禁止直接向候选人提供资金。最高法院没有考虑现存法律规定的防止外部

12、势力对政治进程影响的问题。自上世纪40年代起，美国团体和企业的政治言论的传统地位必须通过政治行动委员会的批准。William Van Alstyne是佛吉尼亚州威廉玛丽法学院的教授。WILLIAM VAN ALSTYNE：“如果股东感觉这符合他们的利益，如果他们想为代表公司商业利益的政治行为委员会作出贡献，那么，他们必须向政治行动委员会捐款。在劳动方面也是如此。所以，团体成员可能会被鼓励向PAC捐款。PAC会决定怎样利用这笔资金，从政治方面来将，就是怎样利用在支持或反对候选人的行动，投票事宜等等方面。”Van Alstyne说，现在，联合公民的决定提出了新的问题。例如，法庭必须裁决，外资控股的

13、公司是否同样享有政治言论自由的权利。奥巴马总统在1月份向国会所做的国情咨文中批评了该裁决。本周，首席法官John Roberts告诉法学院学生，“任何人都可以批评最高法院”。但是，在回答一个问题时，他说，这个安排非常令人烦恼。9名法官中有6人刚好坐在总统对面，包括首席法官本人。1.corporation n.公司例句：The corporation was founded in 2006.这个公司成立于2006年。2.release v.发布; 发行; 发售例句：The commission released its findings.委员会公布了调查结果。When is the best m

14、oment to release the date of the election to the newspapers?什么时候是向报界透露选举日期的最好时机?3.violate vt.违反, 违背例句：The country violates the international agreements.那个国家违背了国际协议。The bus driver violated the traffic regulation.汽车司机违反了交通规则。4.primary adj.最初的; 初级的例句：People have no letters at the primary stage of civil

15、ization.在文明的初期, 人类是没有文字的。5.determine vt.vi.(使)下决心, (使)做出决定例句：I havent determined yet.我还没有决定呢。The board determined company policy.董事会决定公司的方针。6.rule vt.判定, 裁定, 判决例句：The king rules in that country.那个国家一切听从国王裁决。The judge ruled that the witness (should) be heard.那位法官裁定要传唤证人问话。7.denounce vt.公开指责，谴责，斥责例句：W

16、e should denounce a heresy.我们应该公开指责异端邪说。He denounced her as traitor.他指责她是叛徒。1. The Supreme Court has recognized that this is also true for corporations.true for对……适用，相当于apply for例句：The same principle holds true for Taiwan. 解决台湾问题也是这个原则。The same rules hold true for while。同样的规则亦适用于while。

17、2.The ruling clears the way for corporations and unions to use their own money to support the election or defeat of a candidate.clear the way for为.扫清道路例句：The enforcement of this law will clear the way for further reform. 该项法律的实施将进一步扫除改革的障碍。类似的短语：pave the way for为…铺平道路例句：Their economic policy

18、pave the way for industrial expansion. 他们的经济政策为工业发展铺平了道路。3.However, they are still barred from directly giving money to candidates.bar from禁止(接近做…)例句：The members voted to bar women from the club.会员表决不让妇女加入该俱乐部。After the member was caught cheating, he was barred from the club.那会员行骗被抓后, 被开除会籍。4

19、.If the shareholder felt it to their interest, if they wanted to contribute to a political action committee representing the business interest of the company, then they would contribute to the political action committee.contribute to为…作出贡献,为…撰稿,向…投稿,捐助例句：Thank you for contributing generously to these funds.多谢您为这项基金做了慷慨的捐赠。