This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

Some people think of politics as a game. But an online game lets people think of themselves doing one of the hardest jobs in American politics: cutting the federal budget. The game is called Budget Hero.

Students in Los Angeles and other cities have been playing it.

STUDENT: "A simplified tax code and a tax codethat more fairly and correctly taxes the wealth in this country is obviously preferable." Budget Hero lets them decide how they want to spend federal tax dollars. The game uses information from the Congressional Budget Office. It shows what effects each cost-cutting proposal would have.