影響世界的偉大演講56奧巴馬：改革，歷史的召喚（MP3+lrc下載）
Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden，members of Congress, distinguished guests，and fellow Americans:
女議長、副總統拜登先生，各位國會議員、尊敬的來賓以及全體美國同胞們：
Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the President shall give to Congress information about the state of our union. For 220 years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They’ve done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they’ve done so in the midst of war and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle.
我們的憲法要求，美國總統必須定期向國會報告國家的情況。在過去的220年 里，我們的歷屆領導人一直履行這個責任，無論是繁榮安寧時期，戰爭蕭條時期， 還是激烈沖突時期。
It’s tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable~that America was always destined to succeed. But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run, and the Allies first landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much in doubt. When the market crashed on Black Tuesday, and civil rights marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday, the future was anything but certain. These were the times that tested the courage of our convictions, and the strength of our union. And despite all our divisions and disagreements, our hesitations and our fears, America prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, as one people.
回顧歷史上的這些時刻，假設如果我們的進步是不可阻擋的，那么美國永遠 注定會取得成功^>但是，當美國股市持續了 10年的牛市崩跌、盟軍首次在奧馬哈海 灘登陸時，我們的勝利遭到了質疑。當市場在“黑色星期二”崩盤，民權游行在血 腥的星期日被鎮壓的時候，美國的未來曾充滿了不確定性。這都曾是考驗我們的信 念和我們國家力量的時刻。盡管我們有種種分歧、猶豫和恐懼，美國最終還是會勝利，因為作為一個國家、一個民族，我們選擇了向前發展。
Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history’s call.
今天，我們再一次面臨著考驗，也將再一次回應歷史的召喚。
One year ago, I took office amid two wars, an economy rocked by a severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt. Experts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted~immediately and aggressively. And one year later, the worst of the storm has passed.
一年前，我當選為美國總統，當時美國正處于兩場戰爭之中，經濟嚴重衰退， 金融體系處在崩潰的邊緣，政府債臺高筑。不同政治派別的專家警告我們，如果我 們不采取行動，我們可能會面臨第二次經濟危機。于是我們果斷而迅速地采取了行 動，一年后的今天，最糟糕的時期過去了。
But the devastation remains. One in 10 Americans still cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. And for those who’d already known poverty, life has become that much harder.
然而，危機帶來的災難性影響依舊存在。現在仍然有十分之一的美國人沒有工 作。許多企業關閉，房屋價格下跌，小城鎮和鄉村受到的沖擊更加嚴重。對那些本 來就很貧窮的人來說，生活變得更加艱難了。
This recession has also compounded the burdens that America’s families have been dealing with for decades—the burden of working harder and longer for less; of being unable to save enough to retire or help kids with college.
這次經濟大蕭條使美國家庭幾十年來積壓的重擔進一步加劇：工作越努力、工作 時間越長，收入反而越少，他們沒有能力積攢金錢退休，也無法負擔孩子讀完大學。
So I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They’re not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for President. These struggles are what I’ve witnessed for years in places like Elkhart, Indiana; Galesburg, Illinois. I hear about them in the letters that I read each night. The toughest to read are those written by children— asking why they have to move from their home, asking when their mom or dad will be able to go back to work.
因此，我能夠理解人們現在的焦慮，這些問題并不是新的，而我競選總統就 是為了解決這些問題。這幾年，在印第安納州的埃爾克哈特和伊利諾伊州的蓋爾斯 堡我目睹了人們的掙扎，我每天晚上都閱讀他們的信件，并從中了解到一些情況。最讓人難過的是閱讀那些孩子的來信，他們在信中提到，為什么他們要離開他們的 家，他們的父母什么時候才能重新找到工作。
For these Americans and so many others，change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated； some are angry. They don’t understand why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is rewarded, but hard work on Main Street isn’t; or why Washington has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They’re tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can，t afford it. Not now.
對這些美國公民以及其他像他們一樣的人來說，變革來的還不夠快。對此，有 些人感到沮喪，有人感到憤怒。他們不能理解，為什么華爾街那些惡劣的行為能受 到獎勵，而民眾努力工作卻得不到應有的回報；為什么政府不能或不愿意去解決這 些問題；他們已經厭煩了黨派之爭、厭倦了叫囂和卑劣的爭斗。他們認為我們解決 不了這些問題，至少現在還不能。
You know what else they share? They share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity. After one of the most difficult years in our history, they remain busy building cars and teaching kids, starting businesses and going back to school. They’re coaching Little League and helping their neighbors. One woman wrote to me and said, we are strained but hopeful, struggling but encouraged.”
你知道他們還擁有什么共同點嗎？那就是他們面對逆境時的堅韌。在經歷了屬 于美國歷史上最困難的一年之后，他們依然在孜孜不倦地生產汽車和教育孩子；創 辦企業和重返課堂；他們訓練少年棒球聯合隊，他們幫助自己的鄰居，正如一位女 士在給我的信中寫道：“我們緊張但充滿希望，我們努力掙扎但有勇氣。”
It's because of this spirit~this great decency and great strength—that I have never been more hopeful about America’s future than I am tonight. (Applause.) Despite our hardships, our union is strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We do not allow fear or division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it’s time the American people get a government that matches their decency; that embodies their strength. (Applause.)
正是因為這種精神，這種偉大的尊嚴和力量，使我從未像今晚這樣對美國的 未來充滿希望。（掌聲）雖然我們處境艱難，但我們的國家十分強大。我們永不放 棄，我們不會停止努力，不會允許恐懼或分歧破壞我們這種精神。在這個新的十年里，美國人將擁有一個能配得上其尊嚴、能體現其力量的政府。（掌聲）
And tonight, tonight Fd like to talk about how together we can deliver on that promise.
今晚，我們將討論如何共同努力實現對人民的這一承諾。
It begins with our economy.
首先，從我們的經濟開始。
Our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up the same banks that helped cause this crisis. It was not easy to do. And if there’s one thing that has unified Democrats and Republicans, and everybody in between, it’s that we all hated the bank bailout.
我上任的最緊要的任務就是支持幫助那些引起危機的銀行。這項任務并不容 易。如果說能使民主黨和共和黨在一件事情上達成共識的話，那就是我們都不愿意 資助銀行。
But when I ran for President, I promised I wouldn’t just do what was popular— I would do what was necessary. And if we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it is today. More businesses would certainly have closed. More homes would have surely been lost.
但是，當我競選總統時，我承諾不會遵循慣常的做法，而是做必須要做的事。 如果我們任由金融體系崩潰，我們或許將面對雙倍于當前水平的失業率。更多的企 業會倒閉，更多的人會流離失所。
So I supported the last administration’s efforts to create the financial rescue program. And when we took that program over，we made it more transparent and more accountable. And as a result, the markets are now stabilized, and we’ve recovered most of the money we spent on the banks. (Applause.) Most but not all.
因此，我支持上屆政府的努力，建設金融救助項目。在我們接管這一項目時， 會增加其透明度和可解釋性。作為結果，市場巳經穩定，向銀行業發放的大部分救 助資金也已經收回。（掌聲）。雖然是大部分，但并非全部。
To recover the rest, I’ve proposed a fee on the biggest banks. (Applause.) Now, I know Wall Street isn’t keen on this idea. But if these firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need. (Applause.)
為了恢復其他領域，我巳經提議向大型銀行征稅。（掌聲）我知道這一提議肯定 不會受到華爾街的歡迎,但是如果這些企業能夠負擔得起重新發放高額獎金，他們也一定能夠承擔相應的費用，回報在其需要救助時向他們伸出援手的納稅人。（掌聲）
Now, as we stabilized the financial system, we also took steps to get our economy growing again, save as many jobs as possible, and help Americans who had become unemployed.
現在，隨著金融體系的穩定，我們也采取措施逐漸恢復了經濟增長，挽回了盡 可能多的崗位，并幫助許多失去工作的美國民眾。
That’s why we extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than 18 million Americans; made health insurance 65 percent cheaper for families who get their coverage through COBRA; and passed 25 different tax cuts.
這也是為什么我們能夠為1800多萬美國失業人員擴大或增加了失業津貼的原 因，通過統一綜合預算匯編法案（COBRA)覆蓋的美國家庭醫療保險費用下降 65%,并通過了25項不同的減稅政策。
Now，let me repeat: We cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95 percent of working families. (Applause.) We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut taxes for first-time homebuyers. We cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. We cut taxes for 8 million Americans paying for college. (Applause.)
現在我想重申，我們要削減稅收，我們為工薪階層家庭削減了95%的稅額， (掌聲）我們為小企業減稅，為首套房購房者減稅，為撫養孩子的父母減稅，為800 萬需要付費上大學的美國人減稅。（掌聲）
As a result, millions of Americans had more to spend on gas and food and other necessities, all of which helped businesses keep more workers. And we haven’t raised income taxes by a single dime on a single person. Not a single dime. (Applause.)
這樣做的結果，就是數百萬美國人把更多的錢花費在汽油、食品等生活必需品 的支出上，這樣才能幫助企業留住更多的工人。對于每一個個人，我們沒有提高個 人所得稅，一分都沒有。（掌聲）
Here’s what I ask Congress, though: Don’t walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people. (Applause.) Let’s get it done. (Applause.)
我對國會的要求是：不要停止改革，不要在現在，不要當我們如此接近目標的 時候退縮。讓我們通過合適的方式團結起來，完成美國人民交給我們的工作。（掌 聲）讓我們一起完成吧！（掌聲）
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
謝謝你。上帝保佑你。并愿上帝保佑美利堅合眾國。（掌聲）
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