影响世界的伟大演讲56奥巴马：改革，历史的召唤（MP3+lrc下载）
Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden，members of Congress, distinguished guests，and fellow Americans:
女议长、副总统拜登先生，各位国会议员、尊敬的来宾以及全体美国同胞们：
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.
我们的宪法要求，美国总统必须定期向国会报告国家的情况。在过去的220年 里，我们的历届领导人一直履行这个责任，无论是繁荣安宁时期，战争萧条时期， 还是激烈冲突时期。
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.
回顾历史上的这些时刻，假设如果我们的进步是不可阻挡的，那么美国永远 注定会取得成功^>但是，当美国股市持续了 10年的牛市崩跌、盟军首次在奥马哈海 滩登陆时，我们的胜利遭到了质疑。当市场在“黑色星期二”崩盘，民权游行在血 腥的星期日被镇压的时候，美国的未来曾充满了不确定性。这都曾是考验我们的信 念和我们国家力量的时刻。尽管我们有种种分歧、犹豫和恐惧，美国最终还是会胜利，因为作为一个国家、一个民族，我们选择了向前发展。
Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history’s call.
今天，我们再一次面临着考验，也将再一次回应历史的召唤。
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，我当选为美国总统，当时美国正处于两场战争之中，经济严重衰退， 金融体系处在崩溃的边缘，政府债台高筑。不同政治派别的专家警告我们，如果我 们不采取行动，我们可能会面临第二次经济危机。于是我们果断而迅速地采取了行 动，一年后的今天，最糟糕的时期过去了。
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，危机带来的灾难性影响依旧存在。现在仍然有十分之一的美国人没有工 作。许多企业关闭，房屋价格下跌，小城镇和乡村受到的冲击更加严重。对那些本 来就很贫穷的人来说，生活变得更加艰难了。
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.
这次经济大萧条使美国家庭几十年来积压的重担进一步加剧：工作越努力、工作 时间越长，收入反而越少，他们没有能力积攒金钱退休，也无法负担孩子读完大学。
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，我能够理解人们现在的焦虑，这些问题并不是新的，而我竞选总统就 是为了解决这些问题。这几年，在印第安纳州的埃尔克哈特和伊利诺伊州的盖尔斯 堡我目睹了人们的挣扎，我每天晚上都阅读他们的信件，并从中了解到一些情况。最让人难过的是阅读那些孩子的来信，他们在信中提到，为什么他们要离开他们的 家，他们的父母什么时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.
对这些美国公民以及其他像他们一样的人来说，变革来的还不够快。对此，有 些人感到沮丧，有人感到愤怒。他们不能理解，为什么华尔街那些恶劣的行为能受 到奖励，而民众努力工作却得不到应有的回报；为什么政府不能或不愿意去解决这 些问题；他们已经厌烦了党派之争、厌倦了叫嚣和卑劣的争斗。他们认为我们解决 不了这些问题，至少现在还不能。
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.”
你知道他们还拥有什么共同点吗？那就是他们面对逆境时的坚韧。在经历了属 于美国历史上最困难的一年之后，他们依然在孜孜不倦地生产汽车和教育孩子；创 办企业和重返课堂；他们训练少年棒球联合队，他们帮助自己的邻居，正如一位女 士在给我的信中写道：“我们紧张但充满希望，我们努力挣扎但有勇气。”
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.)
正是因为这种精神，这种伟大的尊严和力量，使我从未像今晚这样对美国的 未来充满希望。（掌声）虽然我们处境艰难，但我们的国家十分强大。我们永不放 弃，我们不会停止努力，不会允许恐惧或分歧破坏我们这种精神。在这个新的十年里，美国人将拥有一个能配得上其尊严、能体现其力量的政府。（掌声）
And tonight, tonight Fd like to talk about how together we can deliver on that promise.
今晚，我们将讨论如何共同努力实现对人民的这一承诺。
It begins with our economy.
首先，从我们的经济开始。
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.
我上任的最紧要的任务就是支持帮助那些引起危机的银行。这项任务并不容 易。如果说能使民主党和共和党在一件事情上达成共识的话，那就是我们都不愿意 资助银行。
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，当我竞选总统时，我承诺不会遵循惯常的做法，而是做必须要做的事。 如果我们任由金融体系崩溃，我们或许将面对双倍于当前水平的失业率。更多的企 业会倒闭，更多的人会流离失所。
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，我支持上届政府的努力，建设金融救助项目。在我们接管这一项目时， 会增加其透明度和可解释性。作为结果，市场巳经稳定，向银行业发放的大部分救 助资金也已经收回。（掌声）。虽然是大部分，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.)
为了恢复其他领域，我巳经提议向大型银行征税。（掌声）我知道这一提议肯定 不会受到华尔街的欢迎,但是如果这些企业能够负担得起重新发放高额奖金，他们也一定能够承担相应的费用，回报在其需要救助时向他们伸出援手的纳税人。（掌声）
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.
现在，随着金融体系的稳定，我们也采取措施逐渐恢复了经济增长，挽回了尽 可能多的岗位，并帮助许多失去工作的美国民众。
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.
这也是为什么我们能够为1800多万美国失业人员扩大或增加了失业津贴的原 因，通过统一综合预算汇编法案（COBRA)覆盖的美国家庭医疗保险费用下降 65%,并通过了25项不同的减税政策。
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.)
现在我想重申，我们要削减税收，我们为工薪阶层家庭削减了95%的税额， (掌声）我们为小企业减税，为首套房购房者减税，为抚养孩子的父母减税，为800 万需要付费上大学的美国人减税。（掌声）
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.)
这样做的结果，就是数百万美国人把更多的钱花费在汽油、食品等生活必需品 的支出上，这样才能帮助企业留住更多的工人。对于每一个个人，我们没有提高个 人所得税，一分都没有。（掌声）
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.)
我对国会的要求是：不要停止改革，不要在现在，不要当我们如此接近目标的 时候退缩。让我们通过合适的方式团结起来，完成美国人民交给我们的工作。（掌 声）让我们一起完成吧！（掌声）
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
谢谢你。上帝保佑你。并愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。（掌声）
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