奥巴马每周电视讲话 经济复苏进程

Weekly Address: President Obama Says GOP Senate Leadership Choosing to "Filibuster¹ Our Recovery and Obstruct² Our Progress"
 每周电视讲话：奥巴马总统称共和党参议院领导层选择“妨碍和阻挠经济复苏进程”
 
WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, the President criticized the Republican leadership in the Senate for opposing initiatives which that would create jobs and strengthen the economy like cutting taxes for small businesses and extending unemployment insurance for Americans who have lost their jobs during the recession.  Aiding small businesses and renewing unemployment insurance are not just the right things to do for those hit hardest by the recession, they are steps that will help strengthen the recovery.  When crises strike Main Street, the President believes it’s important to put aside politics and act in the best interests of American families and small businesses.
 华盛顿消息：在本周的讲话中，由于共和党参议院领导层反对创造就业、对小企业减税以及对经济衰退期间失业人员延长失业保险等巩固经济的措施，总统对此作出了批评。援助小企业以及延长失业保险期不仅仅对遭受经济衰退打击的人们意义重大，而且也是巩固经济的重要步骤。当危机重创美国中产阶级，总统认为将政治放到一边，做些对美国家庭和小企业最为有利的事情才是重要的。
 
This week, many of our largest corporations reported robust³ earnings⁴ – a positive sign of growth.
 本周，许多大公司都报告了强劲的盈利增长——这是经济增长的积极信号。
 
But too many of our small business owners and those who aspire⁵ to start their own small businesses continue to struggle, in part because they can’t get the credit they need to start up, grow, and hire.  And too many Americans whose livelihoods⁶ have fallen prey⁷ to the worst recession in our lifetimes – a recession that cost our economy eight million jobs – still wonder how they’ll make ends meet.
 但是还有太多小企业主以及开办小生意的人们依旧在挣扎，原因之一就是因为他们不能得到启动、运营以及雇佣工人的贷款。而且还有太多美国人民的生活惨遭此生最严重的经济衰退的侵扰——这场衰退让我们付出了800万人失业的惨重代价——到如今人们依旧为实现收支平衡而苦恼。
 
That’s why we need to take new, commonsense⁸ steps to help small businesses, grow our economy, and create jobs – and we need to take them now.
 这就是我们需要采取新的，实实在在的措施来帮助小企业，实现经济增长和创造就业的原因——我们需要立即采取行动。
 
For months, that’s what we’ve been trying to do.  But too often, the Republican leadership in the United States Senate chooses to filibuster our recovery and obstruct our progress.  And that has very real consequences.
 几个月来，我们也一直在努力这么做。但大多数时候，参议院的共和党领导层却选择了妨碍和阻挠经济复苏进程。他们有着非常现实的预期。
 
Consider what that obstruction⁹ means for our small businesses – the growth engines that create two of every three new jobs in this country.  A lot of small businesses still have trouble getting the loans and capital they need to keep their doors open and hire new workers.  So we proposed steps to get them that help:  Eliminating capital gains taxes on investments.  Establishing a fund for small lenders to help small businesses.  Enhancing successful SBA programs that help them access the capital they need.
 考虑到这种阻挠对小企业意味着什么——这个增长引擎创造着全国三分之二的新增就业。由于大量小企业在获得贷款和资金来维持正常运作和雇佣新的工人上存在麻烦。因此我们采取了数项措施来帮助他们：对投资的资本收益所得税进行减免。为中小贷款公司设立基金来帮助小企业。强化成功的小企业管理局计划来帮助他们获得所需资金。
 
But again and again, a partisan¹⁰ minority in the Senate said “no,” and used procedural tactics to block a simple, up-or-down vote.
 但一次又一次，参议院的少数党派人士说“不”，并采取程序性的策略来阻挠简单的投票表决。
 
Think about what these stalling tactics mean for the millions of Americans who’ve lost their jobs since the recession began.  Over the past several weeks, more than two million of them have seen their unemployment insurance expire.  For many, it was the only way to make ends meet while searching for work – the only way to cover rent, utilities, even food.
 考虑到这种延迟策略对自经济衰退以来无数失业人员意味着什么。在过去数周中，有超过200万人的失业保险到期。而对大多数人而言，这是他们在找工作期间唯一的生活来源——支付房租、水电费、甚至食物费用的唯一来源。
 
Three times, the Senate has tried to temporarily extend that emergency assistance.  And three times, a minority of Senators – basically the same crowd who said “no” to small businesses – said “no” to folks looking for work, and blocked a straight up-or-down vote.
 三次了，参议院试图短期延长紧急援助。然而也是三次了，少数参议员——基本上就是对小企业说“不”的那些人——再一次对失业人员说“不”，甚至阻止了投票表决。
 
Some Republican leaders actually treat this unemployment insurance as if it’s a form of welfare. They say it discourages folks from looking for work.  Well, I’ve met a lot of folks looking for work these past few years, and I can tell you, I haven’t met any Americans who would rather have an unemployment check than a meaningful job that lets you provide for your family.  And we all have friends, neighbors, or family members who already knows how hard it is to land a job when five workers are competing for every opening.
 一些共和党领导人居然将这种失业保险当作一种福利。他们说这会让人们不努力去找工作。好吧，过去这几年里我遇到过许多失业人员，我可以告诉你们，我还没有遇见过一位愿意靠失业救济而不是依靠一份正当的工作来养家糊口的美国人。我们都有朋友，邻居，或者是家庭成员在找工作时面临一个空缺有5个人竞争的艰难。
 
Now in the past, Presidents and Congresses of both parties have treated unemployment insurance for what it is – an emergency expenditure¹¹.  That’s because an economic disaster can devastate¹² families and communities just as surely as a flood or tornado¹³.
 现在，总统以及国会两党都力求将失业保险恢复本来面目——作为应急支出。因为经济灾难就像洪水和龙卷风一样能摧毁家庭和社会。
 
Suddenly, Republican leaders want to change that.  They say we shouldn’t provide unemployment insurance because it costs money.  So after years of championing policies that turned a record surplus into a massive deficit¹⁴, including a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, they’ve finally decided¹⁵ to make their stand on the backs of the unemployed¹⁶.  They’ve got no problem spending money on tax breaks for folks at the top who don’t need them and didn’t even ask for them; but they object to helping¹⁷ folks laid off in this recession who really do need help.  And every day this goes on, another 50,000 Americans lose that badly needed lifeline.
 但共和党领导人却突然想改变一切。他们说由于太费钱所以我们不能继续提供失业保险。在倡导多年的财政大量盈余变成巨额财政赤字后，其中就包括对最富裕的美国人减税，他们最终决定放弃失业人员的利益于不顾。他们毫无阻碍的把钱花在对社会上层人员的减税上，而他们根本不需要也没有这方面的要求。但他们却反对帮助那些在经济衰退中下岗的真正需要帮助的人们。每一天这种状况一直在持续，每一天都有5万人失去他们迫切需要的生活保障。
 
Well, I think these Senators are wrong.  We can’t afford to go back to the same misguided policies that led us into this mess.  We need to move forward with the policies that are leading us out of this mess.
 但我觉得这些参议员们错了。我们无法承担重回同样的错误政策所导致的糟糕后果。我们需要采取前进的政策来引导我们走出泥淖。
 
The fact is, most economists¹⁸ agree that extending unemployment insurance is one of the single most cost-effective ways to help jumpstart the economy.  It puts money into the pockets of folks who not only need it most, but who also are most likely to spend it quickly.  That boosts local economies.  And that means jobs.
 事实是，大多数经济学家都同意延长失业保险是推动经济增长最为有效和划算的手段之一。把钱给那些不仅仅是最需要人们，而且是会很快花掉它们的人们。就能推动本地经济，而这又意味着就业。
 
Increasing loans to small business.  Renewing unemployment insurance.  These steps aren’t just the right thing to do for those hardest hit by the recession – they’re the right thing to do for all of us.  And I’m calling on Congress once more to take these steps on behalf of America’s workers, and families, and small business owners – the people we were sent here to serve.
 给小企业增加贷款。延长失业保险。这些措施不仅对在经济衰退中遭受打击的人们意义重大——这对我们大家也意义重大。我再一次号召国会站在美国劳动者、家庭以及中小企业——我们可以送人们到这里工作——的立场上推行这些措施。
 
Because when storms strike Main Street, we don’t play politics with emergency aid.  We don’t desert our fellow Americans when they fall on hard times.  We come together.  We do what we can to help.  We rebuild stronger, and we move forward.  That’s what we’re doing today.  And I’m absolutely convinced that’s how we’re going to come through this storm to better days ahead.
 由于风暴袭击了中产阶级，我们不会在紧急援助上玩弄权术。我们不会在我们的伙伴陷入困境的时候抛弃他们。我们会团结一致，竭尽所能来帮助他们；我们会重新变得更加强大，不断前进。这是我们今天正在做的。而且我完全相信，这样我们一定能穿过风暴，迎接更加美好的明天。
 
Thanks.
 谢谢！
 
 

1 filibuster   

n.妨碍议事，阻挠；v.阻挠

参考例句：

• A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来，作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
• The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。

2 obstruct   

v.阻隔，阻塞(道路、通道等)；n.阻碍物，障碍物

参考例句：

• He became still more dissatisfied with it and secretly did everything in his power to obstruct it.他对此更不满意，尽在暗里使绊子。
• The fallen trees obstruct the road.倒下的树将路堵住了。

3 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

4 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

5 aspire   

vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于

参考例句：

• Living together with you is what I aspire toward in my life.和你一起生活是我一生最大的愿望。
• I aspire to be an innovator not a follower.我迫切希望能变成个开创者而不是跟随者。

6 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

7 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

8 commonsense   

adj.有常识的；明白事理的；注重实际的

参考例句：

• It is commonsense to carry an umbrella in this weather.这种天气带把伞是很自然的。
• These results are no more than a vindication of commonsense analysis.这些结果只不过是按常理分析得出的事实。

9 obstruction   

n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物

参考例句：

• She was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.她被指控妨碍警察执行任务。
• The road was cleared from obstruction.那条路已被清除了障碍。

10 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

11 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

12 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

13 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

14 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

15 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

16 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

17 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

18 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》